The Gratitude Project

read the recent news story here.

“One of my spiritual practices is expressing gratitude, even on the hard days. Every night before we fall asleep, my spouse Jennie and I tell each other some gratitudes. Gratitudes can be as simple as noticing a beautiful tree to being grateful for a friend’s help. The practice has served as a great antidote to my anxiety!”

Hilary Martin Himan, Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life

The Gratitude Project is a tradition we hope to continue each year during the fall semester.  Autumn is a particularly auspicious time to hone one’s gratitude practice.  Everywhere around us is the energy of release and of cozying up with what we hold dear.  Trees let go of their leaves.  Animals slow down, save food, and hibernate.  Human cultures across the globe light candles and gather together.  The colder, shorter, darker days remind us to rest and conserve our energies.  No matter what our stressors are – from academics to teh state of the world – cultivating a practice of gratitude can help ground us in the present and in life’s process.

Intentionally choosing to be grateful helps to rewire our brains away from scarcity and productivity mindsets toward one of openness and appreciation for that we do have in our lives and all that does make life worth living, despite the stresses. It’s not about big serious things or forced positivity. Even expressing gratitude for the tiniest of moments can have a huge impact on our attitude. It’s not always easy, but its worth it!

Gratitude is a practice that one must cultivate regularly. It has been shown to:

• improve sleep quality
• improve emotional regulation
• increase feelings of happiness and positive mood
• foster hope for the future
• reduce stress, burnout, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
• increase resilience

 

Our new traditions are still unfolding, with new iterations and questions as we go - please share your feedback!

 

 

More images coming!