5 Ways To Incorporate Gratitude Into Your EFT Practice

Would you like to know more about how to incorporate a gratitude practice into your current EFT practice?

If so, you’re in the right place.

Gratitude is an incredible practice. It invites us to look at life through a different set of frames. Significantly, it invites us to view life with a greater generosity of spirit, and it encourages us to look for the good in even the most challenging of situations.

When we practise gratitude regularly, for a minimum of 2 minutes a day, there is a whole range of benefits that come about. And when you combine this with EFT, it makes for a beautiful and powerful practice.

Why practise gratitude?

Maintaining a gratitude practice for 21 days can literally rewire your brain, setting up neurological connections that allow you to embrace a more positive outlook on life. It means that you encourage your brain to become Velcro for the good.

Gratitude allows you to forge deeper connections with the people around you

When you express your gratitude by acknowledging the contributions of others, you are demonstrating that you “see” them. This can make existing bonds  between friends or family members closer and can create opportunities for new relationships to be forged.

Gratitude fortifies emotional resilience in the landscape of the mind

The practice of gratitude, especially when combined with EFT, allows you to change your chip from a focus on problems to a focus on solutions. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” it allows you to consider what you're learning.

For example: “Even though I have a broken bone, I’m grateful that this has allowed me to stop running and rushing and avoiding the things in my life that I could have been addressing. I am grateful for the time and space to slow down”.

Or “Even though I’m feeling down/this is really tough, I’m grateful for supportive friends and family.”

Gratitude enhances well-being

Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression. Through the practice of gratitude you fortify the neural networks in the brain that look for the good in situations. By focusing on what’s going well and on what makes you happy, you physically alter your biochemical make-up for the better. Levels of serotonin (one of the ‘happy hormones’) rise, and levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) decrease. In this way, maintaining a gratitude practice can have a positive impact on your physical well-being.

Gratitude can reduce depression

Your brain cannot differentiate between reality and vividly imagined reality. When you recall pleasant memories, these thoughts trigger the release of the same feel-good chemicals that were released when you actually lived the experience. The release of these chemicals makes you feel happier in the present moment. You can activate these hormones by tapping on all of the good things that you're grateful for in your life.

Did you know that grateful people sleep better?

Because cortisol levels decrease and serotonin levels increase, you feel more relaxed. Before going to bed, tap on everything you’re grateful for today and notice the impact that this has.

The extraordinary nature of ordinary moments is revealed and magnified with the practice of gratitude.

Gratitude allows you to look at things with fresh eyes and appreciate the beauty that is all around: the vibrance of the colours around you as we walk to work, the light in the face of a child, the exquisite warmth of a tea or coffee mug pressed against cupped hands.

Here are 5 ways that you can incorporate gratitude into your EFT practice:

1. Tap on 5 (or more) things that you’re grateful for.

2. Consider a situation that was challenging but that brought about personal growth. Use a re-frame to practise gratitude for this learning experience.

For example: I’m grateful that my presentation didn’t go to plan because it’s allowed me to reflect on what I really want to say and how to say it in a way that's more meaningful.

Or I’m grateful that I had the courage to speak up today even though it was difficult. This shows my strength of character.

3. Tap while acknowledging the contributions that others have made in your life. Feel free to work using any re-frames here.

4. Cast your mind back to a beautiful experience that you’re grateful for. Describe all of the wonderful things about it while you tap.

5. Reflect on the things that you love and appreciate about yourself. In as much detail as possible, vocalise what you’re grateful for and why.

Happy ‘gratituding’!

Anne Marie is an educator, coach, facilitator and integrative therapist who specialises in the treatment of trauma and in nervous system recalibration. She is an Advanced Accredited EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner, an NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming) Master and a certified Havening practitioner. Anne Marie has over a decade of experience as an educator and she has an MSc in Existential Psychotherapy as well as a diploma in Counselling. She also has an extensive background in Yoga; she has been teaching and developing her yoga practice since 2005. Anne Marie is available for in-person and online sessions.