Enhancing the ways in which we reflect, write about and share gratitude is a practice that requires intentionality. Below are a few activities to guide you in exploring the ways in which you’re grateful for those in your life. When engaging in a positive intervention, it helps to track your wellbeing as a measure of success. Before you dive in, take your PERMA+ Snapshot and see what your score is today. Next, try each of the activities below over the coming weeks and then retake your PERMA+ Snapshot to see how the positive intervention of Gratitude Letter Writing impacted your wellbeing.
Try the positive intervention as researchers intended…
Positive Intervention: Write a Gratitude Letter
Call to mind someone who you’re grateful for and would like to take the time to thank. Then, spend time drafting, writing, and revising your Gratitude Letter. This should be a fairly substantial letter that expresses your sincere gratitude for their positive impact. Once it is done, schedule a time to deliver the letter and read it to the person, if possible.
Once you have completed your first Gratitude Letter, don’t stop there; try these additional positive practices…
Reflect on People I Am Grateful For
Now that you have written one Gratitude Letter, take time to reflect on all of the people who have positively impacted your life. List their names, the ways in which they improved your life and what you might want to thank them for. Consider their strengths, the role they played in your life, specific details of who they are and what you most appreciate about them. Set a goal to complete one letter per week for each of the next four weeks.
- Write a Gratitude Letter to Nature
We live on a planet that gives us gifts to enjoy each day. Be it a beautiful sunset, sandy beach or quiet trail in the forest, you’re likely grateful for something about nature. Take time to write nature a gratitude letter letting the planet know how deeply you appreciate your special place(s).
- Practice Gratitude In the Moment
Now that you’ve practiced how to express gratitude in big ways, why not find small ways to say thank you day-to-day? When someone goes out of their way for you, follow up with a gratitude text message, sticky note, or email in the moment. Start with the next 30 days and track how many days you practice thanking others.
