A practice to foster in the new year that’s easy to do but lands a positive impact …

What is a practice that ministers, clinical counselors, brain health specialists, and physicians would all agree should be a daily part of your life for your overall well-being and for just a richer quality of life?

The daily practice of gratitude.

I know, I know, when some people hear this they groan (loudly) because it sounds like a cheesy idea. Well, it may initially sound a little cheesy but gratitude as a regular practice matters a lot in YOUR life!

That’s because fostering and then nurturing gratitude matters, and yet for many of us, it is NOT a daily part of our lives.

It needs to be.

When we step back and pay attention, we notice the absence of gratitude in times when it really should be present.

Take, for example, this story told by Ballard C. Campbell in “Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History”:

“In 1860, the Lady Elgin was rammed by the Augusta and sank in Lake Michigan near Evanston, Illinois. A ministerial student named Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.”

Or there’s a story recorded in the Bible when gratitude was strikingly absent, and Jesus noticed:

“As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, crying out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ He looked at them and said, ‘Go show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!’ He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner'” Luke 17:11-18.

A recommendation often made by ministers, counselors, brain health specialists, and physicians is to keep a gratitude journal, or in some way make it a daily practice to take note of what you’re grateful for that day. By making this a daily practice, the regular exercise of genuine gratitude will shape your thinking; your thoughts will shape your feelings, and the combination of your thoughts and emotions will shape your behavior into that of a truly grateful person.

Want more practical motivation?

Here are some ways that keeping a gratitude journal, or daily practicing fostering an attitude of gratitude, can impact your life:

Christian faith – Gratitude deepens faith by fostering trust in God’s providence and recognizing His blessings.

Mental health – Gratitude enhances well-being by promoting positive emotions, reducing stress, and cultivating resilience.

Brain health – Gratitude supports brain health by improving mood, enhancing neural connectivity, and reducing symptoms of depression.

Physical health – Gratitude benefits physical health by lowering inflammation, improving sleep quality, and boosting overall vitality.

For something that takes so little time and effort, there’s a lot of positive results that make keeping a gratitude journal something to consider making a practice in 2024.

Scotty