Need something to
feel thankful for? How about the benefits of being thankful?
The benefits of practicing gratitude are plentiful. Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologist from University of California Davis, discovered through his research that people who regularly practice gratitude by noticing and reflecting upon the things they are thankful for:
•
Feel more joyful
emotions
•
Are less anxious
and depressed
•
Are more engaged in
their lives
•
Sleep better
•
Are able to express
more compassion and kindness
•
Have more
fulfilling relationships
•
Have stronger
immune systems
•
Along with being
grateful for the big things that happen in our lives, experiencing the same
level of gratitude for the simple and smaller things that happen to us is just
as important and can significantly increase our well-being and life
satisfaction. Simply put, gratitude reminds us of the simple joy in just being
alive.
As with making any
change, having the motivation and stick-to-itiveness to sustain it can be
challenging. Below are a few strategies to help with starting a daily gratitude
practice and with being able to maintain it:
Strengthen your
reflection skills
One of the
cornerstones of the practice of gratitude is being able to recognize the
things we are grateful for. You can strengthen your reflection skills by
noticing all the new things you’re grateful for everyday and then writing them
down in a gratitude journal or by putting them in a special gratitude jar or
box if journaling isn’t your thing. It’s also important to periodically read
what you’ve written to remind yourself of the all things you’re grateful for.
Be specific about
what you’re grateful for
Sharpening our
gratitude skills also helps with changing the way we perceive situations.
Shifting our attention the to positives in our lives–especially when we’re
struggling with life’s challenges–opens up our thinking and helps with finding
solutions. Gratitude also naturally bolsters feelings of hopefulness and
resiliency.
Share your
feelings of gratitude
Include
the important people in your life in your gratitude practice. You can do this
by writing letters to the people in your life who you’re grateful for or by
making a point to directly express your feelings of gratitude in person.
However you choose to express your gratitude to the people you love, focusing
on our relationships enhances feelings of connection and intimacy. And, time
after time, studies have shown that our relationships are strong determinants
of our happiness.