How a Daily Gratitude Practice Can Boost Your Mental Health (And Keep You Grounded When Life Gets Wild)
Thanksgiving is here—the season of family gatherings, turkey-induced naps, and silently judging whoever brought the dry stuffing. But it’s also the perfect time to talk about one of the most underrated mental health superpowers we have: gratitude.
Not the fluffy “I’m thankful for my car starting” kind (though, yes, that counts).
I mean the real, brain-changing, mood-boosting gratitude that research keeps telling us we should be paying attention to.
If you’ve ever wished for a simple habit that reduces stress, improves sleep, and helps you feel more grounded—even when life feels like a long uphill hike—gratitude might be it.
Let’s break it down.
Why Gratitude Works: The Mental Health Benefits (Backed by Science)
Mental health researchers have explored gratitude from every angle, and the results are consistent: a daily gratitude practice genuinely improves overall well-being.
Here’s what the science says:
🌿 1. Gratitude reduces anxiety and depression
A major review of over 60 studies found that gratitude journaling and other simple gratitude activities significantly increase happiness and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Translation: writing down a few things you’re grateful for is basically emotional first aid.
🌿 2. It helps you sleep better
According to Harvard Health, gratitude calms the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Think of it as swapping late-night overthinking for a mental campfire—warm, comforting, and much quieter.
🌿 3. Gratitude builds resilience
Neuroscience shows that gratitude activates the parts of the brain responsible for emotional regulation and stress reduction. Over time, this strengthens your internal stability—like adding layers to your emotional sleeping bag.
🌿 4. It strengthens relationships
People who express gratitude naturally deepen connection and trust. It’s basically the relationship version of trail etiquette: a little kindness goes a long way.
How to Start a Daily Gratitude Practice (Without Making It Complicated)
The best part about gratitude? It’s simple, portable, and doesn’t require Wi-Fi or a perfect morning routine.
Here’s how to get started:
🌲 1. Choose a journal or notes app
Call it your Gratitude Journal, Field Guide, or Why Today Didn’t Go Completely Off the Rails—whatever makes you smile.
🌲 2. List three things you’re grateful for each day
They can be big or small:
A warm meal
Your favorite person
A quiet moment in nature
Not stepping in mud up to your knees today
🌲 3. Pause and actually feel the gratitude
Take about 10–15 seconds to let the feeling sink in. This is what tells your brain, “Hey, let’s keep this,” and builds long-term benefits.
🌲 4. Do it daily—especially on hard days
Some days the gratitude pours out.
Other days the best you’ve got is, “I’m grateful for coffee… and that’s all I’ve got right now.”
Both are perfect.
Consistency is where the magic happens.
Why Thanksgiving Is the Perfect Time to Begin
Thanksgiving invites us to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with the good in our lives—even if that good is mixed in with chaos, noise, or family members arguing about football.
So here’s your invitation:
🍁 Start a daily gratitude practice this Thanksgiving.
Three things a day.
Thirty seconds.
A lifetime of impact.
Over time, you may notice:
More emotional balance
Less stress
Better sleep
Deeper connection with others
A greater sense of peace and grounding (especially in nature)
Gratitude won’t fix everything. But it will shift something—and sometimes that small shift is exactly what we need.
-By
Chase Counts, LPC-S