Struggling with gratitude? Try this simple practice instead
There was a time when someone asked me, "What are you grateful for?" that I’d list things, people, or moments.
However, I felt oddly disconnected from the feeling of gratitude in that moment.
Eventually, I swapped “gratitude” for “appreciation,” and everything changed. When I pondered, "What do I appreciate?" something inside shifted. I found myself seeing people, situations, and the world with fresh eyes. Feelings of warmth filled me, and I carried a renewed lightness into my day.
In that simple shift, I experienced a natural, spontaneous meditation. Here’s how you can, too.
Turning appreciation into a meditative experience
Meditation is often just a moment of awe or a feeling of wonder about the miracle of life. When we look at life with the eyes of appreciation, we open ourselves to a meditative state without effort. Being curious about the people around us or the world itself invites us into this deeper state of awareness and joy.
A simple question can be a brilliant way to lead you there: What do I appreciate about right now?
Here are a few other questions to try:
- What joyful experience would I love to remember?
- What person, place, or thing brings me joy?
- How wonderful does it feel just to breathe right now?
- What makes me feel alive?
Then spend a few moments basking in the sensations of joy-fullness this appreciation invokes in your body and mind.
This practice is a gift that keeps giving, as each moment of appreciation deepens your awareness and sense of peace. That, in turn, makes you more grateful—a virtuous cycle that’ll transform your perspective on life.
As my teacher, Camille Maurine, writes in Meditation Secrets for Women, “the pleasure of meditation induces a dilation of the senses... Everyday reality takes on new meaning, we are living inside an ever-unfolding creation of beauty and mystery.” It’s certainly something to celebrate!
A simple practice to connect with appreciation
One of my other teachers, Dr. Lorin Roche, shared a practice with me that he received from his teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Practice seeing the world and the people around you with eyes of wonder and appreciation.
Try it now: Notice what nature is giving you at this moment—the air you breathe, the warmth of the sunlight that keeps life flourishing, the steady pull of gravity embracing you and holding you to Earth.
Then, inhale with appreciation—and exhale as though you’re giving it back from where it came. "I give this breath back to nature, warmed by my heart and my life experience."
If you can, go to a place you love: a mountain view, or a garden, or simply imagine it in your mind. Recognize that nature is offering herself to you. Let yourself be astonished by the beauty of it all.
You are part of this infinity. You are connected to the stars, the Earth, and the very breath that fills you.
Life is renewing in you, with every breath.
Nature is always providing enough air for you.
Pause for a moment to appreciate how nature is supporting you. This noticing is a kind of communion with the world around you. In noticing, we receive. In appreciation, we give back.
This simple practice of appreciation, over time, invites us to become more of the person we truly want to be.
