Practice Gratitude to Decrease Stress

When we are stressed, our minds naturally focus on the negative aspects of our lives. If the dishwasher breaks down, for example, it’s easy to suddenly notice other household items in need of repair, and to stay up at night tossing and turning over the potential costs of fixing everything in your home.

Gratitude can help transform these negative thoughts into positive ones. Studies have shown that feelings of thankfulness will ease stress, as well as increase creativity and problem-solving skills. The more you train your mind to remain focused on the positive aspects of your life, the better equipped you’ll be to handle life’s difficult situations when they come your way.

Studies have shown that people who take a few minutes each day to write down their blessings can increase their level of happiness by 25%. It only takes a few minutes to transform the way you feel every day.

Each day, write down three things you are grateful for in a notebook. They can be big (“I have an enjoyable career”) or small (“My lunch was delicious today”), as long as they are sincere. When you are feeling stressed or depressed, open your gratitude journal for a quick reminder of all of the blessings you do have.