Isn’t it amazing how something as simple as gratitude can give new meaning to life?
Gratitude has been proven to be one of the simplest ways to change one’s perspective of the world. It allows a person to appreciate the positive, rather than focus on the negative aspects of life. Research states that people who practice gratitude every day are not only happier but also healthier. Learning to be grateful helps people appreciate the little things in life that can oftentimes be taken for granted. When one practices gratitude it brings about a deep feeling of satisfaction that can fulfill and nourish a person.
National Gratitude Month was an initiative started by Stacey Grewal, who believes gratitude to be an essential ingredient of a happy and fulfilling life. When one embraces gratitude, they immediately shift their focus from the negative to the positive things in their lives.
Practicing gratitude does not mean that one would deny the fact that negative things happen in life; it means intentionally searching for and focusing more on the good. It means finding something to be grateful for amid the preponderance of bitterness and hardship.
Gratitude has been proven to generate a positive impact on psychological, physical, and personal wellbeing. Research shows that gratitude can:
- Help people make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with the individual.
- Improve a persons physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
- Improve a persons psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
- Enhance empathy and reduce aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
- Improve sleep habits. Practicing gratitude regularly can help a person sleep longer and better.
- Enhance self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
- Increase mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations. (Morin, 2014).
In sum, practicing gratitude, or reflecting on what you have to be grateful for, is an effective way to deal with life’s chaotic, stressful, and tense moments.
Explore ways you can be more appreciative in this mindful guide to gratitude.
