1 Thing Science and the Bible Agree is Helpful
A Biblical practice also backed by science
The simple practice of being thankful has the staggering ability to transform your brain structure. Grow thick new dendrites. We cannot grow another arm just by thinking about one, but we can grow new thought paths in our brains and make them wider and more accessible with continued use. And the way we think changes how we perceive and react to situations every day. Our outward behaviors are a direct reflection of our most frequently used and easily accessible dendrite pathways.
You continually think resentful thoughts? You will become a bitter person.
You continually think self-deprecating thoughts? You will never love yourself.
You continually think angry thoughts? Your first reactions will drive people away.
You continually think elitist thoughts? Nothing will ever be good enough for you.
You continually think thoughts of gratitude? You will begin to sink into a contented appreciation your life.
Whatever type of thoughts you allow yourself to think day in and day out, that is who you become.
One thought is a barely-visible trail through the woods. But each time you choose to take that trail it becomes more and more visible, more and more easy to take. The grass gets trampled. The twigs get snapped. The big rocks cleared. And when taken enough, the trail becomes marked with dirt and signs to get there and is printed on every map. If it’s a trail that leads to a hidden mountain lake enveloped with pristine peace and calm, well done. If it’s a trail that leads only to an outdoor loo, it’s time to try again.
I discovered the secret of gratitude out of necessity. I’ve experienced all these outcomes. If I had paid attention to research I would have discovered it sooner.
Gratitude reduces stress.
Gratitude breeds satisfaction.
Gratitude helps you see reality unbent by emotion.
Gratitude increases your mental health.
How I personally practice gratitude
I developed a practice of forcing myself to be thankful for something every day. I would post it to Instagram as my own sort of accountability. I didn’t care what people thought or commented: this was my survival. This was my way to convince my brain that life was good. The proof was in the daily trail of pictures that is increasingly thick.
I initially logged my daily gratitude with #dailythanktitude and could only conjure thankfulness for things like cookies and meatballs. With discipline and practice I began producing an entire list of things I was thankful for every day, alongside a picture that brought me joy.
Now I have switched to #thankfilledlife which I find easier to say and not pre-loaded with as much daily pressure. Sometimes I forget to take a picture, sometimes I’m off my phone, and that’s okay.
Sometimes I fall back on a physical gratitude notebook and pen. Even when emotions are lying to and saying that life is no good and you are insufficient in all areas, there are things to be thankful for. Like that 2-minute relapse of oppressive emotion. An understanding spouse. A cashier’s smile. A free coffee. The sunset. A extended deadline. Something in mail that’s not a bill or junk. How you forced yourself to do that one thing today. The victory of believing you are enough for the first brief second.
Truly, some things that you are thankful for just don’t need to be public. Some gratitude is richer when it’s only for you. It almost builds more if you don’t give it away.
A bone fide way to increase joy
Practicing gratitude has increased my joy. There are more and more moments in a day that I find myself breathing deep and allowing myself to rest momentarily in the goodness of life.
The smell of outside.
My children’s joy.
Imagination.
That first sip of coffee.
Money to buy groceries.
The privilege I was born into.
The one clean corner of my house.
Gratitude is a practice supported by the bible, psychology and neuroscience.
Pay attention to all the good around you. Write it down. Train your brain to build that path and you will build a well-known hiking path to an oasis of rest inside.
** This post originally appears here on erikarachelleanderson.com, under the title “The Transformative Practice of Gratitude.”
Meet Erika Anderson
Erika Anderson is a mom, wife, elementary school teacher, writer, perfectionist, and is currently recovering from a well-deserved burnout. She learned through trial and fire how to find calm in the middle of her chaos by confronting both her wounds and her faith.
Born and raised on the Canadian prairies, Erika and her husband of nine years, Travis, are now raising their three sweet girls to also appreciate the wide open spaces and never-ending skies. Together, they are learning to embrace mistakes, live vulnerably, and see Jesus in a very imperfect world. Familial, spiritual and mental health are now their external measure of success.
She is an avid reader who also enjoys running, snowboarding, chicken farming, puzzles, coffee, naptime, community, jazz and Jesus.
Erika previously worked with James Penner and Associates and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada to produce the national report on why young adults are leaving Christian churches, entitled Hemorrhaging Faith.
Where to find her . . .
Begin Within is a series to inspire a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only your own life, but the lives of your neighbors as well. Gratitude is a theme we talk about often around here because it ties so closely into other missional living rhythms. Practicing gratitude reminds to keep our hearts soft and expectant and our eyes open. Therefore, the more we embrace gratitude, the easier it becomes to truly see our neighbors and where we can join what God is already doing in our neighborhoods.
My vision for this gratitude series is to help others embrace a year-round lifestyle of gratitude that will impact not only their own life, but the lives of their neighbors as well.
If you would like to contribute to Begin Within, you can find the submission guidelines here.
Creating Ripples
If you would like to cultivate rhythms in addition to gratitude that will empower you live on mission in your neighborhood, check out Cultivating a Missional Life: A 30-Day Devotional to Gently Help You Open Your Heart, Home, and Life to Your Neighbors. This small book will help you make a big impact in your neighborhood as you learn to let missional living flow from the inside out. Get the 30-day missional living challenge free when you purchase the book.
