As the semester peaks with finals approaching and homework piling up, it’s easy to get caught up in the chaos. However, with the holidays just around the corner, this is a perfect time to delve into mindfulness and gratitude practices.
College can be stressful, but practicing gratitude can help with the stress. It happens to the best of us when we lose sight of what we have right in front of us because we can take the most simple things for granted, but by simply saying thank you, or acts of kindness, or practicing gratitude, mindfulness can have a positive impact on your life and mental health.
“My love language is giving gifts and saying thank you,” Hunter student Raizelkeisha Moscardon stated about how she practices gratitude. “Many people like to hear the word thank you, although it’s a simple word, and most people like to hear this. But I implement this just by giving back to the people I love.”
In a 2022 study conducted by Journal of American College Health, a select number of students at a university were asked to practice gratitude by doing one of the three “journaling, reflection, app-prompted reflection.” They did this for 8 weeks. The students who did this showed improvements in mental health regarding anxiety, depression, and stress. The other group, who did not participate, hadn’t shown any improvements. This simple yet powerful practice can be a game-changer for those struggling with mental health issues, proving that even small acts of gratitude can lead to significant improvements in mental well-being.
In today’s digital age, many students are active on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. While these platforms offer a window to the world, constant exposure can lead to unhealthy comparisons and negative self-perception. It’s essential to be mindful of these influences and counter them with gratitude practices.
“I would like to incorporate more gratitude into my daily routine,” stated Jayline Coste, a Hunter senior. “By practicing more mindfulness, I think that’s the critical component of incorporating gratitude into my daily routine because mindfulness means looking at your current situation. Or present moment for what it is, no judgment, no shame, no what if’s… easier said than done.”
Gratitude practices are simple and within reach, making them easy to incorporate into your daily routine. These practices can have significant benefits for your mental health.
You can start with what’s called a gratitude journal. In this journal, you can write three things you are grateful for in the morning, and this can be the first thing you do before grabbing your phone. You can start the dayon a positive note, andyou can even end the night on a positive note as well. It can be three things you are grateful for, or you can write for five minutes, whatever worksfor you. If this is something that you’d like to do, check out this link: Tips For Keeping A Gratitude Journal.
Another way to practice gratitude is to express appreciation for another person. This person can be your family, a friend, a partner, or a pet. Just appreciating and thanking them for their actions will mean a lot to them. We all deserve to be appreciated, so why not show gratitude and appreciation to our loved ones?
We all know meditation, but what about doing a Gratitude Meditation? It’s like meditation, but instead, you sit for five minutes (or however long you want) and reflect on everything and how grateful you are to be where you are right now; things to think about are your health, your family, your friends, or even simple things like being able to wake up this morning, having clean water, or simply breathing clean and clear air.
“I like showing gratitude by genuinely expressing it to others and telling them how I appreciate them in my life,” says Lucas Mercardo, a sophomore student. “Showing this is the easiest and most direct way.”
Expressing gratitude should come naturally, whether expressed towards others or internally. It should come from a place of genuine love. Being a student while juggling life is complicated, and as obstacles may come our way, always remind yourself of the little things in life.
Gratitude allows us to stop, look around, and savor those fleeting moments—so we don’t miss out on the beauty in front of us.
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
-Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1990)
