Gratitude and a Grandfather’s Wisdom

“Pop pop, you’re sleeping again” we’d say to my grandfather. “I am not, I was just resting my eyes.” This was a common conversation between my aging grandfather and his grandkids while he was watching Philadelphia Phillies baseball. As his health declined, one thing he said frequently was “every day is a blessing.” I never asked him what he meant by that, but I’ve thought about that phrase in the years after his passing, and I’m pretty sure he was expressing gratitude for life.

Being grateful for the good things in life is a way to treat every day as a blessing. Gratitude is something we can actively practice, and there are clear benefits to practicing it. A recent review of psychological research suggests that people who are more grateful tend to experience more social and emotional well-being, greater meaning in life, and better relationships. It seems to help us build more positive experiences. Practicing gratitude can also keep us humble, since it highlights the fact that some of the good things we get are at least partly out of our control.

There are plenty of research-backed ways to practice gratitude. One is called the Three Good Things (TGT) exercise. In this exercise you write down three things you’re grateful for that happened during the day. They can be bigger milestones or small everyday joys. As part of the exercise, you give each event a title and describe what happened in detail. Then you identify how the event made you feel while it was happening and what you’re feeling about it while you’re writing about it in the present. Finally, explain what you think caused the event. Here are some specific instructions if you want to give it a try.

Another great way to practice gratitude is to journal about things and experiences that you are grateful for. Try to be specific (ex. I am grateful that I was able to hike Horsetooth Rock with my partner last week) rather than general or vague. You could write every day for a few minutes, journal once a week, or write at whatever frequency works for you. Another evidence-based way to practice gratitude is to write a letter thanking someone for their positive impact on your life. Choose a recipient who is not aware of how grateful you are. After writing the letter, you read it to them. That one is a bit more involved than some of the other options, here are specific instructions for doing it.

Baseball will always remind me of my grandfather and my grandfather will always remind me of the importance of gratitude. There was wisdom in his comment that every day is a blessing, and his example taught me to practice gratitude more often. Being grateful can improve our lives and our connection to the people around us. Try it and see how it benefits you.

References

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Greater Good Science Center. (n.d.). Three Good Things. Greater Good in Action. Retrieved

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