045 Ten habits to create a lifestyle of gratitude

Expressing gratitude has many benefits. We all know that. But how do we create a lifestyle of gratitude, moving beyond just transactional displays of appreciation?

Zig Ziglar supplies this week’s Inspire Me quote:

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

Expressing gratitude has many scientifically proven benefits that can help you get to your next great beginning even faster:

• Improves your mood. When we think better, we’re more productive.
• Improves the quality of your relationships. Better relationships means greater influence and more opportunity.
• Improves your health. With increased energy and stamina, you can simply accomplish more and be more helpful to others.
• Improves your network. People that express gratitude are attractive. Their gratitude is infectious and their network grows because of it.

These are things we all know. The challenge is how to develop a lifestyle of gratitude rather than just simply responding to acts of kindness. How do we get out in front of it, to put it on display proactively—systemically—rather than just transactionally as a show of appreciation when something is done for us?

Gratitude as a lifestyle means that the expression of gratitude has become habitual for us. Leary and Armin discussed ten specific habits that you can use to proactively develop a lifestyle of gratitude.

1. Write a hand-written, unsolicited note.
2. Reply to an email with more than a perfunctuory thanks. Take a moment to point out how they helped; or something specific about them.
3. Keep a “referral balance sheet” of those who helped you and review it to find ways to help them and others too.
4. Proactively think about another and consider who you might introduce to them who would be helpful or enjoyable for them to meet.
5. Plan a surprise of some kind, just because you can.
6. Journal about the things you are grateful for.
7. Keep a gratitude list, adding to it every day.
8. Ask someone what they are grateful for.
9. Pray intentionally for those in your network, even if they haven’t asked for it.
10. Invite someone to be grateful with you about something.

This week’s Challenge Me:

Pick one of the habits above to put into practice for the next week. Let us know what you picked by leaving a comment on our show page. Also let us know what other habits you’ve used to supercharge your gratitude.

Resources mentioned or related to this podcast that may be helpful to you:

• How to network like a pro, Reinventure Me episode 16 where we discuss healthy networking practices
  
• How to create habits for your next great beginning, Reinventure Me episode 21 on how to create habits.
• Why now is the best time to start journaling, Reinventure Me episode 24 on how to get started journaling.