11/28/2017

How to Fine Tune Your Gratitude Practice

Gratitude can help us feel more grounded, humble and connected to others

Around this time of year, we hear a lot of talk about gratitude. There are many well-established benefits to practicing gratitude; it’s been shown to lower depression and stress, facilitate positive relationships and even boost performance at work. As coaches, we frequently recommend starting a gratitude practice by maintaining a gratitude journal or writing a gratitude letter.

When implemented into our lives authentically, gratitude can help us feel more grounded, humble and connected to the world around us. And of course, it can positively affect those with whom we interact.

Sounds simple, right? Feel grateful, be happy, successful and delightful to those around you. But, in reality, gratitude is a skill, and, like many worthwhile skills, there is nuance and complexity to the art and science of authentically expressing thanks. First, there is some criticism of gratitude practices that fail to emphasize prosocial behavior. Sure, there are scientifically proven benefits of tracking gratitude in a journal, but critics argue that such practices can be overly self-focused. Another criticism? Many encounter psychological obstacles that can undermine the potential benefits of gratitude.

Please click here to read the complete article from LinkedIn.