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Today we are going to be talking about another one of my favorite topics and that is GRATITUDE! Yep, the magic of gratitude. Gratitude has the power to heal, to energize, and to change lives.
Now some listening to this podcast might think that this is a cheesy topic, but that could not be farther from the truth! There are some things in life that are so good for us but they seem so simplistic that they just don’t seem worth doing, and practicing gratitude can be one of those practices.
There are so many proven mental and physical health benefits of gratitude though. Grateful people experience more joy, enthusiasm, love, optimism and happiness.
Plus, physically gratitude has been shown to actually be able to lower blood pressure, lower stress levels, improve the immune system, and help you sleep better.
Gratitude also protects us from negative emotions like jealously, resentment, greed and bitterness.
However, there are a great deal of people that find that it requires great diligence to cultivate a persistent attitude of appreciation. That’s because we’ve been culturally conditioned to focus on what we don’t have, rather than appreciating what we’ve already received (or achieved), and that is because we are exposed to a constant daily drip of negativity.
And being ungrateful is often related to anxiety, depression, envy, materialism and loneliness. A perfect example of someone who isn’t grateful for what they have is the person that likes to play the victim.
So, being grateful is definitely a choice! And, it is a choice that I would encourage you to make. It teaches you to look for the good in life and not focus on the bad.
My personal gratitude practice is really easy. Every morning, upon waking up and before my feet hit the floor, I go over in my mind three to five things that I am grateful for. For example, I am grateful for my warm bed, eyes that work, fresh water, my grandchildren, and my brand new house.
Another great way to cultivate gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. They have done a lot of positive psychology research that shows that journaling is an excellent way to become more grateful and the process of writing it down on paper ingrains it more in your mind.
You can also do a yearly gratitude jar. This is an excellent exercise to do with kids. Just get a good sized jar and anytime the kids have something that they are grateful for, have them jot it on a small piece of paper, fold it up and put it in the jar. Do this for the entire year and then on New Year’s Eve, dump the jar out and read the gratitudes together as a family.
Also, learn to become more aware of your ungrateful thoughts. Teach yourself to quit looking for what’s wrong in life, and be thankful for what you have.
As the saying goes, “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
I hope that by practicing gratitude, you will begin to notice all the wonderful benefits that go along with it.
Dr. Robert A. Emmons, is the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude. He is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and the founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology. He is the author of several books, articles, and videos on Gratitude. Most of the information for this podcast episode comes from his research.
Dr. Emmon’s Books:
Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier
https://amzn.to/2S8mXkB
Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity
https://amzn.to/2QG3uem
The Little Book of Gratitude: Create a Life of Happiness and Wellbeing by Giving Thanks
https://amzn.to/2QC3s78
Greater Good Magazine
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/Robert_Emmons
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