An Attitude of Gratitude




The art of practicing gratitude can infiltrate and affect your life in the best possible way. From the physical aspect of sleeping better to stronger immune systems all the way to the mental aspect of less anxiety and experiencing more positive emotions - gratitude affects us all for the better. It can be as simple as 5 minutes a day too!

If you feel like you are naturally pessimistic or cynical, know that it is possible to change your thoughts. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can help your viewpoint:


“In one study of keeping a weekly gratitude journal, participants showed a 5% increase in optimism. In another study, keeping a daily gratitude journal resulted in a 15% increase in optimism.a2 Optimism is significantly correlated with gratitudee2 The above studies show that it isn’t just correlation – increasing one’s level of gratitude increases one’s level of optimism.”
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The Benefits of Gratitude, posted by the Happier Human
Some tips on how to practice gratitude:

  1. Journal 5 things every night that you are grateful from that day.


  2. Take a “gratitude walk” where you think about things in your life that you are thankful for and enjoy nature while you’re at it.


  3. A random act of kindness for a stranger can feel as oddly satisfying (if not more) than doing something for yourself. Buy someone’s cup of coffee behind you in the drive through line or leave a note on your neighbor’s door with some flowers.


  4. When someone does something for you, have your immediate response be an audible “thank you, I appreciate that you _______” in the moment.


  5. Write a letter to someone who has impacted you.



Even if it doesn’t come naturally now, over time if you continue to practice gratitude you can be surprised about how it seeps into all your thoughts, relationships, and ultimately life. This may seem easier for some than others and if you’d like to discuss it further you can either email me at leemiller.therapist@gmail.com or call my office at (310) 614-0323.