Are You Feeling Grateful Today?
Who doesn't want to live a happy life? Excellent career. A fine family. A long-lasting marriage. Everyone does. However, how often do we give thanks for what we already have while pursuing happiness?
Gratitude is the foundation of joy. A little gratitude can lift one's spirits. Instead of being upset about a flat tire, perhaps you should be grateful when a friend offers to drive you.
Regrettably, not everyone can be grateful. Sometimes it's just a word. In fact, more people are voicing their dissatisfaction. For example, in hot weather, people complain about how hot it was that day, but in rainy weather, the complaints remain but change slightly.
Negative thoughts take control of the mind. However, detecting it is difficult. Many people are unaware of how various negative thoughts affect their lives, resulting in stress, anxiety, and depression.
Nothing but gratitude can stop it. Practicing gratitude on a daily basis helps to combat negative thoughts and promotes physical and mental health. The brain releases the hormones serotonin and dopamine when you are able to be grateful.
This hormone has the ability to lower stress hormones. As a result, being grateful reduces anxiety and improves mood in the short term. It benefits health in the long run.
So, what exactly is a form of gratitude? Being grateful is one way we appreciate what we have rather than what we need to achieve.
Being grateful implies accepting someone or something into our lives and responding to it with kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.
Celebrating and giving thanks for everyday events can be a way to express gratitude. Get up early in the morning, have a family breakfast, go to work, and arrive safely at the office, for example.
Several studies have shown that being grateful for every event that occurs can boost happiness and alleviate depression symptoms.
The health benefits of gratitude
Being grateful for life helps to calm the mind. Happiness and physical health improve as well.
1. Enhance your mood
People who express gratitude for the good things in their lives are found to be happier. Gratitude lowers stress and depression.
2. Make everything more optimistic
Several studies have found that people who regularly express gratitude have a more positive outlook on life.
3. Strengthen social ties
When grateful people regularly practice gratitude or when those around them practice gratitude, they feel more loved and connected to others.
Expressing gratitude to a friend demonstrates your concern and opens the door to more positive interactions in the future. When you are having a difficult time, for example, you may find it helpful if a friend offers you a shoulder to cry on.
Your friends are undoubtedly flattered by this and are always available when you are in need.
4. Improve your physical health
People who actively express gratitude are more likely to engage in activities that promote physical health, such as eating well and exercising.
This results in increased energy, better sleep, and a stronger immune system, or ability to fight disease or infection. Being grateful lowers the risk of heart disease and even chronic disease.
A study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research in August 2020 examined data from 19 previous studies on gratitude. The study concluded that gratitude improves physical health by lowering blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
5. Being grateful makes people live longer
People who are grateful have better emotional health, physical health, and rest periods. Don't be surprised if they have more time on this planet.
How to grow gratitude
1. Thank someone
Practicing gratitude can start with little steps. Thank a security guard for opening the door or a taxi driver for safely transporting you to your destination.
In a more significant way, thank you can be directed to a friend or someone who has helped you or saved you during a difficult time.
Maintaining a relationship with them will make you happier.
Expressing gratitude not only brightens your day, but it also increases happiness in the long run.
2. Think positively
The majority of us are frustrated. When you're upset or frustrated, think of something positive to say about the situation. Consider other aspects of the situation for which you can be grateful.
Problems will be easier to solve for someone who thinks positively. This is due to his increased calm and strength. Anxiety can be reduced by maintaining a positive attitude and frame of mind.
3. Don't be picky; value everything
Don't reserve your gratitude for only big things. Being grateful begins with appreciating everything good and realizing that nothing is too small to be grateful for. For example, in the morning, express gratitude for the warmth of the rising sun.
4. Maintain a gratitude journal
Throughout the day, take time to reflect on the things you are thankful for. It doesn't have to be long and complicated. Just a couple of items.
You can concentrate on what you see, touch, hear, and feel. Doing these activities on a daily basis reduces emotional exhaustion and depression while increasing happiness.
This daily journal breaks the cycle of negative thoughts and promotes physical and mental health.
5. Framing experiences
Compare your current situation to previous negative experiences and how you can overcome them. This allows you to concentrate on the things for which you are grateful.
6. Pray
Prayer is a way to express gratitude. Whatever your beliefs, prayer is a tool for cultivating gratitude. When you pray, you can express gratitude for anything: the air you breathe, your health, your spouse, your job, your children, and so on. Prayer is an opportunity to reflect on our lives and existence.
Have you been grateful for today?
