gratitude practice
/ˈɡrætɪtjuːd ˈpræktɪs/
CommonA regular habit of naming things you're thankful for, often as a mental wellness routine.
Taken very seriously in wellness culture, but also gets mocked online when used to bypass real problems. Genuine for some, aesthetic for others.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | started a gratitude practice and it sounds corny but i genuinely feel different. | The habit produced a real change despite initial skepticism. | instagram, 2023 |
| 02 | three things i'm grateful for today: coffee, my bed, and the fact that i survived this week. | A low-stakes list of simple gratitudes, including humor about a hard week. | x, 2024 |
| 03 | my gratitude practice is the one thing keeping me sane right now. | The habit is a key anchor during a difficult time. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 04 | ok yes i have a gratitude practice. no i will not apologize for being that person. | The speaker is owning a wellness habit they expect to be teased about. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- Describing a consistent habit of noting things you're grateful for.
- Talking about a wellness or journaling practice.
- Recommending or discussing gratitude as a coping tool.
Do not use it when
- You mean one-off moments of thankfulness.Use “gratitude” instead.
- You're dismissing someone's real pain by telling them to just be grateful.
Origin and context
Rooted in positive psychology research from the late 1990s and 2000s. Entered popular wellness culture through journaling and mindfulness trends, and became widely visible on social media around 2019.
- First seen
- late-2010s
- Confidence
- medium
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/gratitude-practiceUpdated: 2026-08-28License: CC BY 4.0