Gratitude

From the WOW table · October 7, 2025 · Words Of Women

Gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus, meaning pleasing or thankful.

If you knew there were health benefits from practicing gratefulness, would you do it?

Science has proven that people who practice being thankful regularly through prayer, journaling, or just being happy for a slice of apple pie will sleep better than most. Their immune system is strengthened, they feel more alive, are more confident and patient with others, and are less affected by daily disturbances.

I make a game out of being present and remembering unexpected moments in the day. I include those moments in my prayers each night. Many a night I fall asleep before I have finished them. Building this habit did not come easy, and I would forget to say them out loud some nights. I refused to beat myself up for that, but it has now become routine for me.

I get all snuggled up, take three deep cleansing breaths as much air as I can consume, then blow them out ever so slowly. It relaxes my mind and body, and then I start remembering my day. It has become a habit almost every night. If I am too tired from the day’s activities and I forget, the next night I remember to be thankful for the realization that I forgot to do this ritual the night before. I turn a negative thought into a positive one, and then that is something to be grateful for, too.