What I learned from practicing gratitude (The impact professional edition)
Eight years of gratitude practice reveal transformative lessons that reshape how we perceive challenges and cultivate joy in everyday life.
Practicing gratitude for the last eight years has taught me several valuable lessons that I’d like to share.
Lesson 1: What I Focus On Expands
When we give our attention to something, its presence in our mind and reality expands. So, if I identify the one project or meeting I’m most looking forward to each day and focus on that, it helps fill my day with joy, sparks curiosity, encourages me to learn something new, or allows me to work on something I truly enjoy.
Lesson 2: When Something Challenges My Patience, I Say, “But I Have to Say I’m Really Grateful for _______.”
The idea here is that whenever something challenges your patience, you train your brain to think of something to be grateful for within that very situation.
For example, if I experience a technical glitch on my computer that prevents me from uploading or processing a document, or if my computer suddenly crashes or freezes, my first reaction used to be frustration or the feeling that I was wasting precious time. Now, I pause and say:
“But I have to say, I’m really grateful that I have access to tech support that can help me solve this issue.”
Or:
“But I have to say, I’m really grateful for the privilege of having my own laptop, Wi-Fi, and access to technology.”
Lesson 3: If the News Leaves Me Feeling Disheartened, I Can Change What I Give My Attention To
Sometimes that means watching more comedy or expressing gratitude that my home, body, friends, and family are safe and well.
This is not a lack of empathy. It is about training your nervous system to feel safe so that you can remain grounded, help others more effectively, and show up with greater emotional stability.
If you would like to focus your gratitude outward, bring to mind the places and communities that are safe and thriving, and fill your heart with gratitude for their well-being.
Lesson 4: When I Have a Challenging Interaction With Someone, I Ask Myself, “How Can I Learn and Grow From This Situation?”
When you are faced with a difficult situation, ask yourself what positive outcome might come from the interaction.
Regardless of how challenging it may be, focus on the ways you might grow from the experience and how it may help you become more capable, resilient, and effective at time management, project management, and working with people.
This perspective can help you see the bigger picture and find gratitude even when you are in a difficult situation.
