The very first thing that comes to one’s mind when wellbeing is mentioned is either physical or mental health. They would immediately think of the gym, a healthy diet, meditation or some other conventional method of taking care of the body. However, most tend to ignore the finer details of our daily lives, the minor yet essential points that have major repercussions. One of those is gratitude; defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks”, gratitude in other words is a sense of appreciation and reflection for all the good around you.

Diving deeper, according to Harvard Health and based on research conducted by psychologists from the University of California – a survey conducted by them suggests that gratitude is “strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness”. Due to its promotion of social, emotional and physiological health, it can increase positive emotions and decrease negative ones like stress and anxiety. Furthermore, it helps people deal with adversity, improves physical health and aids in building relationships. But how does one practice gratitude? 

Gratitude can be practiced in a multitude of ways. It can start off as a simple gesture of taking a moment and reminiscing about everything that you are grateful for or writing a short journal entry on the positives in life. Going further, it can be as simple as catching up with a friend or sharing a few words of affirmation, and it can also be simple acts of kindness such as getting a gift for a loved one or helping someone in need. 

As said by Dr. Judith T. Moskowitz, a psychologist at Northwestern University “[gratitude] ultimately, it can help you be not just happier but also healthier.” These simple practices of acknowledging the positive and doing good deeds can go a long way. Hence every once in a while it is of utmost importance to show a bit of gratitude in life.