Gratitude is an amazing trait to have in our lives.
It literally affects everything! Relationships, attitude, career, health, seriously you name it and it benefits from this practice.
I think sometimes it is hard to wrap out heads around gratitude. There are times when something really makes an impact that we FEEL the emotion of gratitude.
Its the feeling that creates the gratitude benefits that are listed below. Most of us have heard the saying
“have an attitude of gratitude”
all the greatest philosophers have told us for thousands of years that this is very important!
This first thing is to be reminded to be grateful, this is very important and could be something like keeping a physical trinket or writing a…
What is Journaling 65 Journal Ideas Tips & Benefits
Gratitude journal
Many experts believe that using a journal 5 minutes weekly is the way to go. The bottom line is we need something to remind us to be grateful every day, however that works best.
Gratitude makes us Happier
Plain and simple, yes it makes us happier. The more that we feel grateful, the more intense the feelings become. That in turn makes us want more of these feelings. It creates this kind of “loop” that makes us happier.
According to studies, this takes a bit of time to be able to feel gratitude regularly, so practice daily, around 2-3 months this should become a habit. By this time you should be able to feel and see the greatest benefits.
With regular practice, we are able to slowly change our personalities because it is also associated with increased optimism and empathy. Pretty amazing!
Gratitude makes us Healthier
Gratitude helps us recover from stress more quickly. We become less self-centered when we can think beyond ourselves and see a bigger picture. When we are consciously feeling grateful science shows that we have less physical symptoms and less pain.
Also helps us to have a higher quality of sleep with an increase in the desire to exercise. (OK, that would be cool!) But there is more, feeling grateful triggers a relaxation response.
A reduction in depression and its symptoms for as long as the practice is continued. Blood pressure is reduced and gratitude significantly improves vitality, energy and increased lifespan by a few months or years! It is hard to believe that we have the power to fix so many of our own problems!
Gratitude Helps us with Our Problems
Gratitude helps to put our problems in perspective. Reflecting on difficult and painful times helps to create a strong emotional contrast. When we are having problems, we tend to make our decisions based on fear.
A clearer focus is something greatly needed when worry is taking up all of our energy and increasing confusion. Feeling grateful helps to reduce insecurity and increase self-esteem. Because of this, focus is improved.
Gratitude Reinforces Moral Behavior
Feeling grateful helps people want to give back by increasing pro social behavior. We are more likely to reciprocate when we receive from others. Since being grateful is tied to greater empathy, we are more likely to give to others in need and will sacrifice for the greater good.
Gratitude Enhances Appreciation & Awe
Gratefulness enhances seeing the positive and beauty in life, even when disease and unfortunate life circumstances exist. These feelings may help enjoy the beauty of nature, their surroundings, relationships with others, as well as the goodness of life.
When we feel awe we are reminded that life can be an amazing place and our issues seem to dwarf in its presence. This is how I feel when I am at the ocean at night with the stars twinkling.
Standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon may be life’s way of reminding us of our place in the universe.
Gratitude Quotes
“This a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.”
-Maya Angelou
“You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
– Buddha
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
– Oprah Winfrey
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy
“True forgiveness is when you can say, “Thank you for that experience.”
― Oprah Winfrey
“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
– Charles Dickens
“Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.”
— Confucius
“The struggle ends when gratitude begins.”
— Neale Donald Walsch
“The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”
— Charles Schwab
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
― Marcel Proust
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.”
— Henri Matisse
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.”
— Tony Robbins
“What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.”
— Brené Brown
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
— Albert Einstein
“The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.”
— Seneca
Experience of gratitude, awe, and beauty in life among patients with multiple sclerosis and psychiatric disorders
What do you think?
You must be logged in to post a comment.