Gratitude: A Quick Way To Reduce Stress & Improve Wellbeing

As an executive and team coach, one thing that comes up again and again with my clients is how to handle stress.

Clients are often eager to hear about simple, effective ways to manage stress, enhance their mindset, and stay focused, clear, and grounded. And one of the simplest and most powerful is a daily gratitude practice.

You might think that sounds a bit woo-woo. But experiencing gratitude has been shown to create measurable shifts in how our bodies and minds respond to stress and enhance our mood—and those changes can last.

Why Gratitude Works: Nervous System and Hormonal Shifts

When we focus on something we’re genuinely thankful for, it actually shifts the state of our nervous system. We move from fight or flight into rest and recovery. That’s the parasympathetic nervous system at work— slowing the heart rate, relaxing the body, and calming the mind.

On a hormonal level, this shift is just as powerful and can lower cortisol (our main stress hormone), boost dopamine (linked to motivation and reward), increase serotonin (key for mood stability), trigger oxytocin (supporting trust and connection), and even release endorphins — our natural painkillers.

This is the kind of whole-system reset we’re aiming for in stress-management coaching—and it’s available in just a few minutes each day.

Recover, Connect, Focus

Barbara Fredrickson, one of the most respected researchers in positive psychology, developed the Broaden-and-Build Theory, which shows that positive emotions—like gratitude—don’t just feel good. They help us think more clearly, connect more deeply, and bounce back more easily.

Fredrickson’s research also found that to really thrive, we need to experience about three positive emotions for every one negative one. That might sound tricky, but a short daily gratitude practice is one of the easiest ways to boost your positive-to-negative ratio.

A Daily Gratitude Practice Can Change Everything

If you want to give this a go, here’s a practice I developed for myself and now often share with coaching clients who are working on mindset, stress resilience, and emotional well-being. It takes about 10 minutes.

I recommend doing it at night as a ritual when you get into bed, and it can help a busy mind start to calm down ready for sleep. But you might prefer it in the morning.

Bear in mind there are different ways we can find things to be grateful for, and sometimes it requires a bit of creativity.

They don’t have to be big or life-changing. In fact, it’s often the small things that anchor us most effectively.

They can be simple moments of pleasure: such as a really good cup of coffee, the sun on your face for a few seconds, or a brief pause when you felt truly present.

Moments of connection: such as a pleasant moment with a pet or child, the support or encouragement of a colleague, or a message from a friend you were pleased to hear from.

Reflecting on how you are lucky or privileged in life: things we take for granted such as having a safe, secure home or a warm, comfortable bed; easy access to good food; living free from the persecution many people experience; or the amount of financial freedom you have compared to most. This is about 'counting our blessings.'

Even if life feels hard or you’ve had a bad day, simply appreciating your ability to get out of bed or enjoy one small thing can be enough.

The Practice

1. Ground the Body (30–60 seconds)

Get comfortable. Slow your breathing and let your belly rise and fall naturally. It might feel good to place one hand over your heart and one on your abdomen. This helps tell your body that it’s safe to settle.

2. Recall 3 - 5  Moments of Gratitude (3–4 minutes)

Think back over your day (or yesterday, if you're doing this in the morning) and allow five meaningful or pleasant moments to come to mind. For each moment, follow the SAFE process: 

•  See it - Visualise the moment clearly. Recall it as if you’re watching it again, replaying it in your mind's eye

•  Acknowledge it - Describe it simply. “I’m grateful for that quiet cup of tea” or 'I appreciate that uplifting moment when I felt the warm sun on my face”). 

•  Feel it—Notice what sensations arise in your body as you recall it. Where and how do you feel it?

•  Expand it— Let the feelings grow. Encourage the feelings to intensify and spread through your body.

3.  Anchor with a Mantra (30 seconds)

You might like to end with a phrase that grounds the practice. Something like: “My life is full of these moments of pleasure.” Or: “I live life full of appreciation for the joys and privileges I have.” Or: “Even a bad day is full of good moments.”

When it comes to stress-management coaching, simple tools like this often have the biggest impact. A daily gratitude practice helps us shift from reaction to reflection, from pressure to perspective.

It doesn’t take much time, but it can help rewire the nervous system, improve hormonal balance, and lay the groundwork for long-term emotional resilience.

If you’re working with one of the best executive coaches—or coaching others yourself—this is a small habit that can make a big difference.