5 Ways to Boost Your Well-being with Gratitude

Imagine you’re walking down the street on a tough day. Suddenly, a butterfly flits across your path, making you smile. As you start walking again, you realize you feel a bit lighter. Then, as you head into your favorite coffee shop, someone holds the door open for you. Maybe you let out a breath you didn’t even realize you’d been holding in. A little more weight lifts off your shoulders.

That’s the power of gratitude. The more we take time to notice the small things that make life worthwhile, the more we end up appreciating.

“Gratitude can act as a buffer when we start to dwell on the negative,” says AbleTo Coach Advisor Carolyn Oldham. “It doesn’t mean we don’t have goals. And it doesn’t mean we have to see the world through rose-colored glasses. But it helps our brains see that there’s still plenty of good in our lives, even if things aren’t perfect.”

Gratitude doesn’t have to be super serious either. It can be genuine and fun at the same time. In fact, you may find that putting a playful twist on the idea helps you stick with it. And with all the mind-body benefits, it’s a habit that’s worth forming.

Gratitude in our bodies

Even small moments of gratitude can improve our well-being in a few key ways. When we feel or express gratitude, our bodies may produce 3 key brain chemicals:

• Dopamine, which prompts positive emotions
• Serotonin, which boosts mood, willpower, and motivation
• Oxytocin, which lowers our levels of stress hormones and helps us form connections

This results in several mind-body benefits, according to research. It can:

• Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Increase our self-esteem
• Strengthen our social bonds
• Decrease stress
• Make us less materialistic
• Improve our coping skills

Want to give it a go? Try one of the ideas below.

Find a gratitude practice that works for you

Expressing gratitude has benefits whether you do it outwardly or keep it to yourself. Use a mix of both to reap the biggest rewards.

Keep a gratitude journal

We tend to remember things better when we write them down. And there are proven benefits to journaling for mental health. Research shows that people who keep gratitude journals experience an improved mood and ability to cope with stress. The habit can also result in better sleep and increased energy.

Bonus: We can also go back and refer to what we wrote down later on. Use a bound notebook that reflects your style. Or jot things down in a digital app for easy access. (AbleTo participants have a Freewrite Journal in their programs.)

Focus on the little things

It’s easy to attach a big, moral value to gratitude. But those feelings can come from simple, everyday moments, objects, and actions. You know, the kinds of things we often overlook.

Take a few moments to pause and reflect. You might be surprised at what brings a smile to your face. Or gives you a sense of calm. It could be the way your feet felt walking across the grass on your lawn. Or the moment you caught the start of your favorite song on the radio. “By inviting those bits of gratitude, you’re opening up your perspective,” says Oldham. “All of those things add up.”

Try a meditation

Hitting a mental block? A meditation focused on gratitude may help you concentrate. Get started by listening to Practicing Gratitude in the AbleTo app.

Gamify your gratitude

Create a gratitude jar or box. Fill it with prompts written on slips of paper. Then take a moment each day to pull one out and respond.

If you have an artistic streak, get creative with a “gratitude tree.” Cut out leaves from green paper and write down one thing each day. (This is a great one to do with family or kids.) You could even turn it into a whole garden. Write answers on petals to make flowers. Or stones to make a path.

If you want something with a social component, check out AbleTo’s Community Journal. Each Monday, we post a prompt that focuses on gratitude. It may help spark some unexpected ideas, too.

Send thank-yous

Telling someone how much you appreciate them (or something they did for you) surely makes them feel good. Chances are, you get a warm, fuzzy feeling, too. According to studies, gratitude helps us build and strengthen our bonds with other people.

And new research shows it doesn’t have to be anything long. Notes, texts, and emails all count! The important thing is to be specific. Being dialed into exactly what you’re thankful for concentrates the emotions.

If the thought of sending your note makes you nervous, you can keep it to yourself. You’ll still reap some internal benefits. Just the act of expressing your gratitude has been shown to improve the well-being of people struggling with anxiety or depression.

Make gratitude a habit

There’s no firm rule for how often you need to express gratitude to see the benefits. One older but often-cited study saw that people who completed a gratitude exercise, such as writing a letter or list, for a week felt happier. And people who kept up the habit saw the benefits continue over time.

More recent research supports those findings. Some studies asked participants to reflect on gratitude daily. Others took a weekly approach. The bottom line? People who regularly engaged in some form of gratitude felt more content.

Start with a small, achievable goal you can maintain, says Oldham. “That will help give you the confidence to stick with it.”

Forming a new habit might seem daunting. But there are a couple ways to make gratitude a regular practice. First, it can help if you add the new habit to something that’s already part of your routine, like brushing your teeth or washing your face. That’s known as habit stacking.

“People have an easier time building a practice when they stack it with something they naturally do,” explains Oldham. Let’s take making your morning coffee as an example. “While you’re waiting for it to brew, think of something you’re looking forward to that day. Something that makes you smile.” The point is to approach that time with intention.

A second way to help a habit stick? Let it take a form that feels fun. Sure, we’re big fans of journaling at AbleTo. But there are plenty of other options if that doesn’t feel natural to you. Whatever you choose, our Habit Tracking tool can help you stay accountable.

Find the good

Feeling or expressing gratitude doesn’t have to involve anything big or fancy. It can be turning our attention to the simple joys in life. We can take small steps to show our appreciation. Or even just notice the everyday things that make us happy. Doing this boosts our well-being in the moment. But when we make it a habit, we support our mental wellness in the long run.