November is a month focused on gratitude, something I touched on in the past here. Chances are, you already know the power of a gratitude practice — from boosting your mood and shifting your perspective to decreasing your anxiety and improving your overall health. Mindfulness can make gratitude even more powerful. Let’s dig in.

Whether you’re stuck in a rut or facing a challenge, gratitude and mindfulness can make all the difference.

To start, it’s important to understand the meaning of these two ideas. Gratitude enables you to recognize your blessings and stay balanced through difficult times. It’s simply the practice of noticing the good in your life, whether it’s a strong community, a loving relationship, a fulfilling job, or even a sunny day. It’s not surprising that gratitude is closely related to happiness; when you feel grateful, you feel calm and at peace with your life.

Mindfulness, then, allows you to handle those difficult times with more acceptance and understanding. It means being fully aware of the present moment in a non-judgmental and compassionate way. Studies reveal that mindfulness can even have a positive effect on pain, depression, addiction, and more. Practicing mindfulness may include:

• Acknowledging and accepting your thoughts and feelings as well as your actions and reactions without criticism

• Being aware of and tuned into your surroundings

• Focusing on the here and now as opposed to the past or future

Now, I want to share three ways to incorporate mindfulness into your gratitude practice.

1. Set a gratitude alarm.

Each day, take a few moments to go through your five senses and list what you can see, smell, hear, taste, and touch. Then, think of three things that make you feel grateful. These things can be as big as the roof over your head or the health of a loved one or as small as a hot cup of coffee or the morning light peeking through your curtains. Doing this exercise at the same time each day helps to create a rhythm in your life that will soon become habitual. 

2. Complete a gratitude meditation. 

Take five minutes to follow this gratitude meditation and see if it’s a good fit for you:

• Find a calm and quiet space.

• Get in a comfortable and relaxed seated position. Close your eyes and take up to 10 deep breaths.

• Allow your mind to focus on people or things that you’re grateful for; let your heart fill with gratitude as you say “thank you” to each one. Pay close attention to someone’s facial expressions or the details of a place. Think about a body part and what it allows you to do — like your arms holding your babies or your legs carrying you through each day. Consider the taste and texture of a good meal.

• As you conclude, wiggle your fingers and toes to come back into your body. 

3. Start a gratitude ritual.

Similar to your gratitude alarm, start a ritual with your partner or family. During dinner, go around the table and talk about what made you feel thankful throughout the day. If you have young children, turn it into a game of “rose, thorn, bud”: Say one positive thing about the day, one negative thing (it’s okay to have a rough moment or two!), and one thing that’s coming up (like a sporting event or play date with a friend). 

The beginning of the holiday season may feel daunting and overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be! 

Did you know it’s impossible to feel grateful and stressed at the same time? There’s a principle of psychology called reciprocal inhibition, which means you can’t feel two opposing states at the same time. As we enter into the holiday season, take a deep breath and remember this concept. Let gratitude shift your perspective to the goodness in your life, and use mindfulness to stay rooted in the present moment.

Discover the possibility of living a meaningful life. Discover the possibility of recovery. Reach out to Dr. Benaaz Russell, PsyD, CEDS-S, today to schedule an appointment!