Friday, January 27, 2017

Benefits Of Practicing Gratitude



Did you know that being grateful and thankful for what you have is good for your health and will enhance your well-being?

Have you ever caught yourself focusing on the negative and blaming people and things for certain things you don’t like in your life?  I think we all do sometimes and it really doesn’t serve us in any way.  Focusing on the negative puts you into a negative mindset and a negative mindset actually attracts more negativity.  What if we all automatically focused on the positive?  


Practicing Gratitude Improves Our Health

 


People who focus on the positive and practice gratitude in their life report feeling more alive, having a stronger immune system, sleeping better, and being able to handle stress better.  People who write down what they’re grateful for before bed tend to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.  When you go to bed feeling positive it’s much easier to relax and let the stress of the day disappear.

A study done by, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, showed that those individuals who practiced weekly gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives.


What Happens When We Practice Gratitude?

 

People who regularly practice gratitude experience:


·         More positive emotions

·         Lower levels of depression

·         Greater life satisfaction

·         Better health

·         Greater vitality

·         A more optimistic outlook on life

·         The ability to build stronger relationships

·         The ability to handle stress better

·         The capacity to empathetic and to be able to understand other’s perspectives




 

Let’s Be Grateful! 

 

 

Like any skill gratitude requires practice.  Keep a gratitude journal and write down a new thing every day that you’re grateful for.  Don’t just write that you’re grateful for the same stuff every day.  Look for the small things in life to be grateful.  I don’t love having to work super early, but I’m grateful for the lack of traffic on the mornings that I go in early. 

When you actively practice gratitude, a neat thing happens.  Over time you’ll notice that you start to naturally see the positive in every situation – you’ll actually start to seek out the positive spin even when situations seem negative. 

Anytime we set out to form a new habit there’ll be a few obstacles along the way so set yourself up for success.  Find a time during the day where you can really focus on what you’re grateful for.  Maybe first thing in the morning before everyone gets up.  Or maybe use your commute to think about what you’re grateful for.  Even if you don’t write it down just thinking about what you’re grateful for is very beneficial for your health.  Maybe start a ‘Gratitude’ Facebook group.  


What Are You Grateful For?

 

Find something to be grateful for right now.  I’m grateful for spell check :D


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