‘Tis the season to be…THANKFUL?

“Tis the season to be jolly…” is a line from a popular season tune.  The song tells us that it is the season of having fun and being happy. Unfortunately, the joy is usually short – lived, because after all the merry – making and fuss is over, we are back to our regular, uneventful lives again. And for some of us, that doesn’t make us very happy.

So what can we do to feel good long after the party’s over?
One of the simplest things that you can do is practice gratitude. Appreciate the things that one has rather than what one does not helps to improve mood, and well, make us happy and demonstrated by the research below.

1. Giving thanks can make you feel happier. 

2. Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude

3. How Feelings of Gratitude Breed Happiness and Well-Being

4. Practicing Gratitude Can Increase Happiness by 25%

5. 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round

So how can we mindfully incorporate thankfulness into our daily lives?

In the next three posts, we will share some DIY exercises to help you practice being grateful. 

Gratitude Diary

 (see Appendix I to III)

To practice thankfulness, you can start with yourself and then move outwards towards being grateful to other people. Start a gratitude diary with these downloadable templates. There are two sections for this diary.


a. The first part focuses on what you are grateful for internally, “What Am I Grateful for About My Life”


b. The second part looks at daily occurrences that you are grateful for:

• To note down three events, three separate entries (i.e. one for the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening).

2. Acts of Gratitude
Now that you have thanked yourself, the next is practice thanking someone else.
• What has someone done that I am grateful for?
E.g. thank the cleaner for cleaning the corridor
E.g. thank the bus driver for getting you safely to your destination
E.g. thank your colleague for being helpful at work

3. Messages of Gratitude (see Appendix IV)

• Write a note / card / email to someone thanking them for their help  or being a support during rough times

Gratitude through difficult times?

Gratitude can transform routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings - William Arthur Ward

Gratitude begins by looking within and appreciating the value of one’s experiences. Too often, we forget that life is not lived only in the ‘big events’, but also in the everyday ‘little’ ones. When challenges and difficult circumstances arise, how do we practice gratitude when we are sad or fearful? Mindfulness and gratitude practice can bring new perspectives in these circumstances. We cannot change the fact that we are affected by the world around us, in the same way that a tree cannot stop its branches from swaying when the wind blows. However, like a tree with deep roots, we can learn to steady ourselves and ground ourselves in the present moment. During difficult times and periods of loss, gratitude practice can be transformative. To appreciate everyday things – like the sound of the rain, a beautiful bloom, or a child’s smile – can change the tenor of the day from despair to hope. (Source: http://www.chopra.com/ccl/gratitude-365)

Read more about Mindful Gratitude here:

http://www.londonmindful.com/blog/8-wellbeing-benefits-of-practicing-gratitude/