This is the week of Thanksgiving, so it it's a good time to remind ourselves of the benefits of cultivating a practice of gratitude into our daily lives. The physical and mental health benefits of expressing gratitude are many, and some might even surprise you. Evidence certainly seems to suggest that gratitude journaling can not only increase one’s happiness, it can even reduce inflammation in the body.
Here are some of the top reasons for practicing gratitude.
Gratitude brings us happiness: Practicing gratitude has proven to be one of the most reliable methods for increasing happiness and life satisfaction; it also boosts feelings of optimism, joy, pleasure, enthusiasm, and other positive emotions.
On the flip side, gratitude also reduces anxiety and depression and could be a helpful part of therapy. Research suggests it may help reduce depression among people with chronic disease.
Gratitude is good for our bodies: Studies suggest gratitude strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces symptoms of illness, and makes us less bothered by aches and pains. It also encourages us to exercise more and take better care of our health.
Grateful people sleep better: They get more hours of sleep each night, spend less time awake before falling asleep, and feel more refreshed upon awakening. If you want to sleep more soundly, count blessings, not sheep.
Gratitude strengthens relationships: It makes us feel closer and more committed to friends and romantic partners. When partners feel and express gratitude for each other, they each become more satisfied with their relationship. Gratitude may also encourage a more equitable division of labour between partners.
Gratitude promotes forgiveness—even between ex-partners .
Gratitude makes us “pay it forward”: Grateful people are more helpful, altruistic, and compassionate—in other words, more prosocial.
Gratitude is good for kids: Children as young as six or seven are more generous when they’re feeling grateful, and grateful adolescents tend to be more resilient. When 10-19 year olds practice gratitude, they report greater life satisfaction and more positive emotion, and they feel more connected to their community.
For more: Read Emmons’ essay about “Why Gratitude is Good” and Giacomo Bono’s essay on “What We Still Don’t Know about Gratitude and Youth.”
The question is how can we (effortlessly) incorporate expressing gratitude into our day to day life.
Here are some ways we can do this:
Keeping a journal of gratitude or in some way note the big and little joys of daily life.
Writing down "three good things"—identifying three things that have gone well for you and then also identify the cause.
Writing thank-you notes to others.
Thinking about people who have inspired you and what about them was most significant.
Engaging in "mental subtraction." Imagine what your life would be like if some positive event had not occurred.
It’s important to mention that actually writing these things down seems to have a far greater positive impact than just thinking thoughts of gratitude.
Have a good week
Much love Saskia XXX
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