Building a Gratitude Practice

The holiday season is upon us. Though we should take every opportunity to give thanks for our friends, family, health, and wealth, it’s easy to lose sight of what matters in the day to day. The science is clear that practicing gratitude can increase well-being and overall satisfaction with life. We encourage you to build a gratitude practice this holiday season that works for you.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to keep a gratitude journal. You can take a few moments, either at the start of the day or the end of the day, to write down three things you are thankful for. Try to be as specific as possible. Instead of “family,” perhaps you write something about a particular family member that impacted you that day, like “my son did the dishes because he knew I had had a long day at work.” Instead of “my job,” perhaps you write something like, “I’m grateful that I am working on X project at work, which lets me use my Y skills.”

You can also start a shared gratitude practice. Consider beginning every family dinner by going around the table saying something you’re grateful for that day. This will allow you all to slow down and give thanks, but to also get to know each other a little more as well.

Feeling really inspired? Consider writing a gratitude letter. You can send this to someone who had an impact on your life in the past or the present to properly thank them. While sending it is always nice, even if you don’t know the person’s address anymore, or have a means to get it to them, the process of writing the letter will be good for you.

At Orsinger Investment Group we are grateful for you, our clients, every day. We thrive on helping you achieve your financial goals and are grateful for your trust along the way.