4 Ways to Cultivate Gratitude
Normally, the holidays are filled with joyous anticipation. Within a span of three months in the U.S., we move from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s Eve. It is time to celebrate!
And yet, we find ourselves in a very different situation this year. Perhaps you lost a friend or family member to COVID. Or you may have been laid off. Your business might have closed. Maybe you’ve been impacted by one of many natural disasters such as west coast wildfires or hurricanes in the southeast.
Even if you were fortunate enough to be spared by these catastrophes, most parents of school-aged children felt the strain of quickly switching from traditional in-person learning to virtual school this spring.
Life as we know it has changed. With that change comes a sense of grief. It’s difficult to gather safely with family and friends. And that difficulty is even more apparent during the holiday season.
But, if you believe in Jesus Christ, you know that hope lies around the corner:
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
The importance of gratitude
Gratitude is a noun that describes the state of being grateful, thankful and appreciative. It’s derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace.
As this Focus for Health article explains, gratitude is our bodies’ natural antidepressant. Researchers at UCLA find that gratitude changes the “neural structures in the brain and make[s] us feel happier and more content.” Thus, generosity and happiness are neurologically linked in our brains.
Additionally, gratitude improves our mood, sleep patterns and immune function. Hormones such as norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin are released in our brains when we are grateful for blessings.
Harvard Medical School’s article In Praise of Gratitude concludes that gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve health, cope with adversity and build strong relationships.
The research is clear: the higher your level of gratitude, the higher likelihood of contentment and happiness.
Practical ways to cultivate gratitude
Pray.
This has been a game-changer for me. During my daily prayer time, I always begin with gratitude. Thinking of at least one thing in my life that is a blessing. Oftentimes, it is hard to stop at just one item.
Gratitude is Step 1 of the prayer process in Matthew Kelly’s book I Heard God Laugh. If you prefer spontaneous prayer, that is fine. But at least part of your daily conversation with God should focus on something for which you are grateful.
Having trouble getting started? Becky Kiser introduced the 30-day gratitude challenge at the beginning of November. You can download her list and apply it to the month of December instead of November.
Write.
During this pandemic, communication has challenged us because it’s hard to maintain connection when socially distanced. Even seeing loved ones in person prevents us from intimate connection if we are wearing masks.
There is no better time to turn to writing. A heartfelt written note this month or next will allow your friends and family members to know that you love and appreciate them. With Christmas right around the corner, we want to deepen our relationship with Jesus. A great way to do that is to express affection for those people in our lives who are meaningful to us.
Beyond written notes to loved ones, another option is starting a gratitude journal. This is an ongoing commitment that will help you foster a spirit of graciousness throughout the year, not just the holiday season. Try to write 3 areas of gratitude each day. Like any habit, it may take 2 months for this practice to become second nature.
Speak.
Maybe you prefer using your voice rather than written words to express appreciation. Your holiday gathering might look different than last year, with fewer people physically in the room. But telephone and video calls are still an option!
Isolation is prevalent as we get closer to the holidays, and this year will be no exception. Think about reaching out to someone you haven’t talked to in a long time and re-cultivate a connection. Those in nursing homes are especially vulnerable during the pandemic. Your single phone call to an elderly relative could shift their entire perspective from one of loneliness to togetherness.
Give.
As the Focus in Health article indicates, generosity and happiness are neurologically linked in our brains. It’s easy to be generous when you are grateful for the blessings God bestows on you.
Generosity can come in many forms. Financial generosity is one way to maximize charitable giving. But you may not be in a financial position this year to donate as much money as last year. Giving of your time and talent is another way to cultivate generosity. You could organize a food drive or coat drive for families in need. You may want to serve on the board of a non-profit. There are multiple ways to be generous even in this COVID era.
Conclusion
Throughout this holiday season, we at Christian Financial Advisors Network wish you moments of peace (even amid the difficulties). We hope you can forge deeper connections with friends and family even if those connections are not in person. We want you to remember the fond memories of past holiday celebrations. And we believe it is good to be JOYFUL as we prepare for the holy remembrance of Jesus’ birth.
