One question to strengthen your gratitude practice

Last week during a presentation an audience participant asked me a critical thinking question. It turns out it’s a question I have never been asked nor a question I’ve asked myself.

So following a flurry of insightful questions, Craig steps up. He asks,

“What have you noticed about your own gratitude practice over the years ?”

I look at Craig. I look at the audience. I look back at Craig. “I’m not sure Craig. Let me think on that and we’ll come back to it.” As the day ends, “Craig, sorry I don’t have anything for you. But I’m going to think on this.”

Some questions take time so I’ve been thinking about Craig’s question and now have an answer.

Over the 17 years I’ve had my gratitude practice I’ve noticed:

• There are days gratitude is more difficult to find—usually on what we’d call “challenging days” but it’s not always the case

• When I mix it up, I experience a greater sense of gratitude. There are many different ways to mix it up—short gratitudes, long gratitudes, themed gratitudes, random gratitudes, people gratitudes, family/work/community gratitudes, going deeper in one area,

• When I frame my gratitude’s in terms of “sacrifices of others” as opposed to “benefits to me”, I feel a deeper sense of gratitude

• Probably the most significant observation related to when I started consuming other people’s gratitudes—it was a game-changer for me. Reading and listening to what others are grateful for, is a powerful source of gratitude inspiration for me—especially on the days when I need it most or sense my gratitude practice is becoming rote. It’s doubly inspiring to witness how others frame, what appear as unsurmountable challenges, in gratitude.

• Lastly, I can really get to know someone by reading a week’s worth of their gratitudes

Thanks Craig—it was a worthwhile exercise as the answers will help me strengthen my gratitude practice.

What have you noticed about your gratitude practice ?

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