Gratitude affirmations are worded statements that you either write down or tell yourself in the mirror to remind your mind of the internal aspects of self that you should be proud of and for the external goodness in your life that’s worthy of appreciation.
Whereas gratitude is an attitude of appreciation regardless of the situation, thankfulness is an emotion. Being thankful is a part of gratitude, but it goes beyond that. Being thankful and appreciative of life every day, even when nothing extraordinary occurs, is what it means to be grateful.
Personal development educators are often heard saying that the only way to change your life is by keeping a positive, hopeful, mind even when it’s challenging too. The big question is, how do you stay optimistic when life throws negativity your way with a job loss, a relationship breakdown or an illness diagnosis?
The answer is by staying grateful.
Rhonda Bryne’s Best Seller “The Magic” is purely based on gratitude: 28 days of being thankful for your life, money, health, relationships, and abundance. Everyone who has committed to the 28 days challenge swears it changed their life. That’s how magical gratitude can be.
Read: 15 Self-Care Affirmations For a Positive Mental Health Day
It might feel a bit wishy-washy at first, but as you continue to practice gratitude, you’ll realize your days are brighter and better. You start realizing not everything in your life is falling apart, and that’s a good start. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of gratitude, how to do it right, and give you 11 powerful gratitude affirmations to get you started on your way to daily appreciation.
Why are gratitude affirmations so effective?
They’re many reasons why you should practice gratitude, but before I let you into the benefits of gratitude, I should mention that practising gratitude isn’t new. It’s a universal law. Whether you’re a Christian, Muslim, or simply focus on what science can measure, here is evidence of how powerful gratitude is believed to be in all disciplines.
Science: A study by two psychologists at the University of Miami showed that people who practice gratitude are more optimistic, exercise more, and have fewer doctor visits.
Gospel: “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”
Koran: “And (remember) when God proclaimed: ‘If you are grateful, I will give you more; but if you are ungrateful verily my punishment is indeed severe.”
Besides abundance, here are other benefits you get from practicing gratitude every day:
- Improved heart health
- Good sleep quality
- Calmness and mindfulness
- Enhanced friendships and relationships
- Increased happiness
- Better stress management
- Improved psychological and physical health
- Enhanced empathy and reduced aggression
List of 11 gratitude affirmations
Here are 11 positive gratitude affirmations to get you started.
1. “I am so happy and grateful now that money comes to me in increasing quantities through multiple sources on a continuous basis.” (Bob Proctor).
This is the greatest money affirmation of all times. If you’re feeling stuck or you’re unemployed and unsure where your next check will come from, this should be your go-to affirmation. It’s also an excellent affirmation for people with goals that don’t match their current pay check. The BIG idea is to focus on gratitude and let go of the HOW.
2. “I am content and grateful for my partner for supporting me and loving me even in my lowest times.”
This is an excellent affirmation for when you’re frustrated by your loved ones or simply want to improve the quality of your relationships. As you focus on the small things your loved ones do for you, the minor irritations you once had for them start disappearing.
3. “I am grateful for my taste buds as they help me enjoy my food.”
This sounds petty until you can’t taste anything; we only appreciate health in its absence. Learn to appreciate the gift of health, it keeps you going and allows you to work on your goals. You can extend this affirmation to show gratitude for other body parts too. That is “I am grateful for {body part} for {reason}. Health gratitude affirmations can help you get your health back by raising your vibrations and hope.
4. “I am truly grateful that this is the first time I don’t have a job“
This is a gratitude affirmation for when you’re trying to focus on the good during difficult times. You can tweak it to fit your current situation. Another affirmation for someone who just lost their job could be, “I am truly grateful for having extra time to hang out with my family.“
5. “I am grateful for my job as it helps me pay bills, have shelter, and pay for my lifestyle.”
This is a good affirmation for people in 9-5 jobs who feel stressed or don’t enjoy what they do but have to do it for financial wellness.
6. “I am grateful for where I am and what the future holds for me.”
This affirmation is great for days you feel stuck or anxious about the future.
7. “I am grateful for all the abundance, joy, love, and laughter that finds me today.”
This is a great affirmation to manifest a good day.
8. “I am grateful for all the small things that make me smile and give me joy.”
9. “I am grateful because the things I desire come to me easily.“
10. “I am so happy and grateful for the love I give and receive in my life.“
11. “I am thankful for my sense of gratitude because everything I’m grateful for grows ten folds.”
Listen to gratitude affirmations with music
How to practice powerful gratitude affirmations
Gratitude affirmations are powerful, but you’ll only get the results if you commit to the practice, even when it feels pointless. There are several ways you can go about this. Here are some ideas.
Get yourself a gratitude jar
This is one of the best ways to maintain a gratitude ritual. All you need is a storage jar or a mason jar. Decorate it with some stamps and stickers and place it where you can see it daily (like your kitchen counter or bathroom vanity). Write one thing you’re grateful for daily and WHY you’re grateful for it. You can do this before bed or first thing in the morning. Whenever you feel blue, you can open the jar and read everything you’ve been thankful for.
Start writing down your thoughts
Writing down how you’re feeling is one sure way of finding mental balance during uncertain times. It helps get all the negative feelings out of the way and allows you to think straight. Journaling can also be a good tool for practising gratitude. Get a cute journal and write 5-10 things you’re grateful for daily. You can start with three for the first month, so it doesn’t feel like a chore.
Keep a physical gratitude object
This gratitude hack is from The Magic by Rhonda Bryne. Go out for a walk and get a small rock. Every night before you sleep, hold the rock and think of all the things you’re grateful for and choose the one you’re most thankful for. You can also put the rock in your pocket and think of something you’re grateful for every time you touch it.
Meditate with silent recitals
There are two ways you can go about this. Set a timer and sit in silence and recite your gratitude affirmations by heart. This might take time before you learn how to calm your mind and focus without distractions. Start with 5 minutes or even a minute, and then add more time as you get used to the practice.
If you want to go the meditation route, we recommend starting with short guided meditations. You can find some on YouTube; Insight Timer has really good ones too.
Say them to yourself in the mirror
Just like self-care affirmations, saying gratitude affirmations can be very powerful too. For this technique, we recommend three gratitude affirmations that resonate with you and recite them every chance you get.
Start practicing gratitude
We’ve all been there, you’re trying to focus on the brighter side, but misery seems to follow you wherever you go. It’s during these challenging times that mental health care matters the most. One way to do this is by practicing gratitude affirmations to remind yourself that you still have things to celebrate.
I really hope our simple guide will help get you started. Don’t wait too long to get started, learn as you practice.
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