Marian Altman, PhD, RN, CNS-BC, CCRN-K is a Clinical Practice Specialist with over 37 years of experience as a critical care nurse, including 30 years as an advanced practice RN. In her time she has learned quite a bit about the importance of gratitude and how to express it.
In one of her recent publication she shared that “Gratitude is the ability to recognize goodness in both your life and in the actions of others. Practicing gratitude helps you shift your focus from a glass half empty to a glass half full; or from what your life lacks to what it has.”
You can read her full article on the website of The American Asociation of Crtical-Care Nurses , and below are some tips she offers on how to get started in the practice of gratitude:
- Write a thank you note, send a text or email to others expressing why you are grateful and specifically how you benefited or what was meaningful to you.
- Tell someone when you appreciate them – not only for the big things but for small things too.
- Be specific in your gratitude. Instead of only saying thank you, add thank you for … and then share exactly why you are grateful.
- Appreciate another person’s wins, including small victories.
- Start a gratitude journal. Write down three things you are grateful for as you start or end your day. These could be positive thoughts, emotions or interactions you experienced. If you don’t want to write, then think about three things you are grateful for each day.
- Use an app such as Gratitude Plus that allows you to track your gratitudes and sends a daily reminder to help you develop the habit. Or engage a gratitude partner who can help you remember to share.
- Sign up for Thnx4, the Greater Good Science Center’s online journal, which prompts you to share and document thanks on a regular basis.
- Give thanks at bedtime to help get your mind in a peaceful state for sleep. It doesn’t have to be something significant – maybe that hot cup of coffee, a sunny day or the beautiful foliage on your walkway.
https://www.aacn.org/blog/share-gratitude-during-thanksgiving-and-all-year