Gratitude and Appreciation

We can have gratitude and appreciation at the same time. Gratitude is the practice of being grateful. It’s acknowledging what we have that’s good in our life. Appreciation is the act of recognizing or understanding that something is valuable and important, it’s displaying gratitude & showing how much we value what we have. This is more an action based response to something of value.

However, we can have the feeling of gratitude without displaying appreciation. The practice of gratitude and appreciation paired together produces many health and mental benefits. Gratitude helps you feel more grounded and puts things in perspective. Appreciation is the display of gratitude and thanks and can help deepen relationships.

Examples of gratitude and appreciation

1. Every morning I am grateful for my cup of coffee, however when I take time to actually taste it and savour the warm feeling it gives me, I am appreciating it. You can go deeper by thinking about how that hot cup of coffee reached you. The people who helped produce the coffee, the delivery people, etc.
2. I am grateful for having a roof over my head. However when I go deeper by appreciating my home comforts and having water, electricity and security I am appreciating it’s value.
3. I am grateful for the love and support of my husband, we show our appreciation of each other by making sure we hug and kiss every morning.

You can see being grateful is expressing a feeling, however appreciation is going deeper by acknowledging the value and importance of something or someone.

Ways to practice gratitude

1. You can start a gratitude journal by writing 5 things you are grateful for every day. The act of writing them down helps cement them in your mind.
2. Be more mindful throughout the day, notice things around you.
3. Reflecting on your life and reminding yourself how you have lived through a bad situation.
4. Be aware of your senses, appreciate your ability to see, hear, smell, touch and taste.
5. Give thanks.

The more you practice gratitude the more grateful you will become. You will start to notice little acts of kindness and thanks.

The effects of practicing gratitude and showing appreciation

Practicing gratitude and showing appreciation has the following effects:

1. It brings out the positivity in you. It makes you look for the good aspects of your day instead of focusing on the bad.
2. Creates deeper relationships with people.
3. Brings more joy and happiness, and increased optimism.
4. Enhances mind and body connections.
5. Improved health and mental benefits, less stress and anxiety.
6. Improved productivity at work.

To Summarise

As you can see, practicing gratitude and appreciation have many mental and health benefits. The positive effects of adopting a gratitude practice can lead to a happier, fulfilled life. Grateful people are happy with what they have and do not constantly seek more.

Give it a try and reap the many positive health benefits.

Keep Living Agelessly

Kath