·
Feeling
happier - higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality,
sense of belonging, and optimism. (Watkins, Woodward, Stone, & Kolts, 2003)
·
Making
more progress toward important personal goals as well as greater levels of
positive affect. (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; McCullough, Emmons, &
Tsang, 2002)
·
Experiencing
improved health, increased energy, and less physical symptoms. (Emmons
& McCullough, 2003)
Being thankful
improves your life. It’s a lot more fun to experience as well. Rather than
walking around like you deserve more than you’ve been given and thinking about
everything that is wrong, you’re rooted in a place that is more positive,
aware, and mindful. You take ownership for your reality and feel empowered to
make the changes you seek. You participate rather than observe.
Your attitude of
gratitude is a lot more pleasant for others as well. People that express
gratitude tend to have better relationships. They are more likely to help
others with problems, more empathetic and considerate, more likely to
acknowledge interconnectedness and responsibility, more generous and helpful,
and definitely more fun to be around.
It's not always easy
to feel thankful. Life can be really
tough and challenges are overwhelming at times.
Feeling thankful can seem difficult until you focus on all that there is
to be thankful for. When you can shift
your focus from negativity and fear to finding things that you can be thankful for,
you end up feeling more positive. When
you feel more positive, you attract positive outcomes. It's important to understand that being
thankful does not mean to ignore negativity.
It simply means to consciously choose where you focus your attention and
energy.
There are so many things we can be grateful for! Having a
pillow that comforts our head, clean water to take a bath, or the internet to
learn anything you want … these are things we are so accustomed to but they
really have not been around all that long and are still not available
everywhere. It’s hard not to take these things for granted, but the more we can
realize the benefits of them – and express gratitude for them – the more we enjoy
our experience.
How to bring gratitude into your life. Gratitude
exercises are extremely powerful to increase positive emotions and work best
when you think of a person for whom you are grateful. Example exercises include:
·
Think of
a few reasons that you are grateful every day. A great time to do this is
in the morning to start your day off consciously. Whether you keep a gratitude
journal, share them with your partner, or think of them as you shower, taking
time to focus on what you are thankful for is one of the best ways to shift
your emotions.
·
Keep
visual reminders around to trigger your awareness to shift to an attitude of
gratitude. For example, you can have pictures of people you are thankful
for around your work areas or you can have a tattoo that reminds you of
something where you will see it constantly.
·
Express
your gratitude to others. Think of
someone that you are extremely grateful for and visit them or write a letter
and let them know the impact they’ve made on you. Be sure to let people know in the moment as
well. Everyone loves to hear
appreciation for something they’ve done.
Being thankful is one of my most treasured lessons of life. It has become one of my favorite habits. It’s my rock during times of stress and helps
me cut through negativity more quickly than anything else.
Reference:
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