Gratitude, what does it really mean? No, let’s not confuse it with being grateful, are they the same? Though they have some similarities, they are not the same. The main difference is that grateful, describes a feeling of thankfulness, while gratitude represents the feeling or state of thankfulness itself.

Can say being thankful to an act is momentary but the feeling of gratitude is something to live with.

So coming back, what is gratitude?
I don’t want to quote the dictionary terms here instead let me try to put it in a simple perspective, gratitude is realising that the good stuff in your life did not appear by magic but someone, or something, made it possible.

There is proven research that gratitude has a way of making a person’s life better, having gratitude is just not a feel-good factor, it actually changes your life in practical ways. People who regularly practice gratitude report sleeping better. When you go to sleep thinking about what went right, you worry less, which leads to deeper, more restorative sleep.

Apart from sleep, being with a sense of gratitude has learned to have much mental and emotional benefits like:

* Reduces stress and negative emotions: Gratitude can decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, making challenges feel more manageable.

* Boosts resilience: Mindset with gratitude helps you bounce back from emotional setbacks and negative experiences.

* Enhances self-esteem: It can improve overall self-esteem and reduce social comparisons by shifting your focus away from material possessions and what you lack.

* Stronger immune system: It may contribute to better overall physical health, including a stronger immune system and lower blood pressure.

* Stronger relationships: Expressing and feeling gratitude can improve friendships, romantic relationships, and professional connections.

* Increased social support: A grateful disposition makes you more likeable and can lead to more meaningful connections and greater social support.

* Greater kindness and generosity: Gratitude can inspire you to be kinder, more helpful, and more generous towards others.

According to Dr. Robert A. Emmons, gratitude unfolds in two crucial stages. The first stage involves acknowledging the goodness that exists in one’s life. When we embrace gratitude, we stay positive to life and all that it offers. The second stage delves into recognizing that the sources of this goodness extend beyond the self, expanding this positive state to encompass the world around us.

Going by the books, researchers have formulated the four ‘as of gratitude, which are attention, acknowledgement, appreciation and action.

Attention

* What it is: The practice of actively noticing the good things in your life, no matter how small.

* How to do it: Make a conscious effort to shift your focus and pay attention to positive aspects and the sources of goodness, rather than getting caught up in a to-do list or negative thoughts.

Acknowledgement

* What it is: Recognizing that the good things in your life come from sources outside of yourself.

* How to do it: Acknowledge the people, circumstances, or higher power that contributed to the good thing.

Appreciation

* What it is: Experiencing the positive emotions associated with the good things you’ve noticed.

* How to do it: Don’t just think it; genuinely feel the emotion. Some sources say if you don’t feel it, it doesn’t count. You can also actively embrace and accept the good that is in your life.

Action

* What it is: Moving your gratitude from your head and heart into the world.

* How to do it: Be quick to express your gratitude to others through words or deeds. This shows gratitude isn’t complete until it’s expressed.

Practicing gratitude as we have discussed has multiple benefits but how do we practice it?

• The very popular way is journaling, writing down your heart, this is termed as the number one way of practice but apart from that we can also practice journaling by:
• Expressing gratitude to someone directly. Taking moments of mindfulness to reflect on what you’re grateful for.
• Using visualization techniques to focus on positive aspects of your life.
• Practicing gratitude through small acts of kindness and generosity.
• Recognizing and appreciating the efforts and contributions of others in your life.

This year has not been my easiest, can say THE worst year of my life, I say this because if I take the pros and cons of the year, my table of cons and being conned is much higher than the pros. Nevertheless, still grateful to have made it through all the ups and downs this year had to throw at me and as this year comes to an end, all I have is a heart full of gratitude for the people who helped me sail through the year.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it” so as the year comes to an end, let us appreciate and acknowledge all the small and big things that happened in our life. Ending the year with nothing but gratitude for all the love and care showered.

May peace prevails.

By Sandhya