Hello Beautiful Souls, I want to introduce you to the beautiful and healing practice of self-gratitude. This is an important practice that has many holistic benefits that help you to be your best self.
It’s like giving yourself a giant, warm hug. It’s celebrating everything that makes you unique, worthy and special.
In this article, we will look at what self-gratitude is and why it’s important, as well as, barriers that can create resistance. We will look at the best ways to practice this beautiful and healing ritual.
What is Self-Gratitude?
Self-gratitude is the practice of expressing appreciation for and celebrating parts of yourself. It helps you see and appreciate all of the great things about yourself. Your personality, abilities, talents, knowledge, and physical attributes.
Have you ever caught yourself being critical about a mistake? or beating yourself up for something you have forgotten?
I bet the way you spoke to yourself is harsher then you would ever speak to your family or friends. Self-gratitude will shift your negative self-talk to be more positive and kinder.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the practice of gratitude by now and likely all its benefits. But self-gratitude is all the benefits of gratitude but directed back to yourself.
Barriers and Challenges to Self-Gratitude
Unfortunately, practices like self-gratitude do not come naturally to us. This can be for several reasons. Some of the most common reasons include:
Perfectionism and Negative Self-Talk – Having harsh criticism and intolerance of personal mistakes can cause us to put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. This way of thinking can overshadow our achievements and best qualities.
Internalising Societal Pressures leading to guilt and shame – I’m sure we all have felt pressure before around the ways we ‘should’ act or milestones we ‘should’ achieve. But life doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes we don’t get married, have children, or have the perfect career within the ‘appropriate’ timeframes…or at all. Internalising these pressures can lead to negative feelings of guilt and shame stopping us from truly appreciating the amazing person we are.
Fear of Selfishness – Often we get told that to provide ourselves care and love is to be selfish or self-centred. It’s not! This is actually the best thing you can do, not only for yourself but for your family, friends and society as a whole. Because if you love yourself you are more likely to be a better person and be better to others.
How Does Self-Gratitude Improve Our Mind, Spirit and Life?
Self-Gratitude Impacts on the Mind
Improves Mental Health – Ongoing practice of self-gratitude can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress. Shifting attention from negative thought patterns to focus on the positive aspects of yourself and your life can help to shift to a more optimistic outlook.
Improves Self-Acceptance and Self-Love – Self-gratitude helps you, not only, accept yourself for who you are but also love all aspects of yourself. This increases your confidence self-worth and overall happiness.
Fosters a Growth Mindset – Self-gratitude nurtures a growth mindset by acknowledging personal progress and learning from experiences. This outlook embraces challenges, values effort, and views failures as opportunities to learn, leading to personal and professional development.
Self-Gratitude Impacts on the Spirit
Deepens Self-Connection – Self-gratitude encourages introspection and a deeper connection with your inner self. This introspective practice can lead to a more profound understanding of your values, desires, and purpose, aligning actions with true self-identity.
Cultivates Inner Peace: By appreciating your journey and embracing the present moment, self-gratitude fosters a sense of contentment and inner peace. It reduces the constant striving for external validation and allows for a more grounded and centred spirit.
Enhances Spiritual Growth – For many, gratitude is a spiritual practice. It opens the heart chakra, increases empathy, and connects them to something greater than themselves, whether that’s a community, nature, or a higher power. It can be a pathway to experiencing transcendence and interconnectedness.
Self-Gratitude Impacts on the Life
Improves Relationships With Yourself and Others – Learning to love the true you can improve your relationship with yourself. As your self-acceptance and love improve, you are more inclined to treat your body with respect and compassion. This leads to healthier choices.
Your improved sense of self will likely rub off on others, improving positive relationships. But, an improved sense of self can also highlight where some people may be holding you back. With your increased love and respect for yourself, you will have an increased capacity to say no and cement those boundaries.
Builds Resilience to Manage Life’s Stressors – Acknowledging your strengths and achievements builds psychological resilience, enabling better coping with stress and adversity. It cultivates a mindset that views challenges as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles, setting you up to manage the stressors that come your way.
Increases Life Satisfaction – Practicing self-gratitude shifts the focus from what’s missing to what’s abundant in your life, promoting a sense of satisfaction and joy. It encourages a celebration of the present and an appreciation for the unique path you are on, regardless of societal standards or expectations.
Ways to Practice Self-Gratitude?
Embrace self-care
Take care of yourself! Focus on self-care activities that reflect self-gratitude, such as a relaxing bath, a favourite hobby, or a treat that makes you feel valued and cared for. You deserve it!
Redefine Success on your own terms
Put societal pressures and expectations aside and set your own goals. You determine what success is for you, not anyone else.
If there are days when getting up and showering is a success, then good on you for doing it and appreciate yourself. If getting married and having kids isn’t your life goal and you’d rather travel the world then that is your success story.
Affirmations and Positive Self-Talk
Being aware of your self-talk and taking directed action to improve this is one of the best ways to practice self-gratitude.
Repeat affirmations while you’re brushing your teeth, or getting ready for work.
Every time you catch yourself thinking something negative counter it with 2 positives.
Gratitude Journaling
Start a practice of writing one thing you love and appreciate about yourself every day. Try it for a month or even for a year. I challenge you to do it and not feel better about yourself.
My favourite part about this one is, by writing down the daily gratitudes, you can re-read these any time you need a pick me up.
See my other article on how to start journaling for tips.
Mel Robbin’s High Five Habit
Love Mel Robbins and her awesome evidence-backed self-help techniques. Mel has a book called The High Five Habit in which she recommends high-fiving yourself in the mirror every day giving yourself a boost of positive affirmation.
Therapy or Coaching
Consider working with a Coach, Counsellor or Psychologist to work through what might be holding you back from truly loving yourself.
Please feel free to book a 15 minute discovery call with me to see if I am the right fit to help you out! I’d love to work with you!
Final Thoughts
Self-gratitude is more than self-care; it’s a transformative practice that reshapes how we view ourselves and our lives. It turns our unique paths into sources of strength and joy. By adopting simple acts of self-gratitude, we can foster a deeper connection with ourselves and lead a more fulfilling life.
Call to Action: Begin with one small act of self-gratitude today. Notice the positive changes and share your story with us. Need support? Book a discovery call with me today!
Resources
High 5 Habit – Unlock the Power of Habit and Achieve Your Goals with Mel Robbins
What Is Self-Gratitude and How Can You Practice It? | Cake Blog (joincake.com)