Tap into Gratitude Today: Part Two
Gratitude is timeless.
Because gratitude is something that has proven time and again the reasons as to why we, you and I, should keep going — even through the most difficult times in our lives.
I don’t think science is always necessary for the reason why gratitude should exist.
In simple terms, we may already know that having gratitude in our lives — thanking important people, experiences, and opportunities — leads naturally toward a life of less stress or anxiety… and one that’s much more carefree, if not unbothered by the worst that life throws in our direction.
I know that gratitude can seem difficult in this time in history; even I struggle with it… but the reason it becomes so timeless is because it can persist even with the resources we presently have — that of free will or decision.
For Becoming Minimalist, bestselling author Joshua Becker writes about gratitude and why we need it in our lives.
He helpfully points out that in our present world, everything tries to go against our feelings of gratitude: the so-called “American Dream” imposed upon people to aim for a perfect life, billboards and TV advertisements (you can find them literally anywhere)….
These subconsciously affect Filipinos, too, as they search for that First-World lifestyle in a Third World situation: one where people don’t have to face poverty; Filipinos, of course, are also prone to all kinds of ads that are shown on TV or on social media (which many of us are constantly exposed to).
“It would be nice to have whiter skin; it would be nice to have luxury brands in our closets; it would be nice to have as much money as the rich do.”
Becker says this, though: “If discontent is the cause of many of our unhealthy habits, contentment is the cure.”
And he says, too: Gratitude is the pathway to that cure, to life’s contentment.
Before anything else, let’s quickly define gratitude in proper terms:
1. It is humility:
It’s acknowledging other people’s purpose in our lives, how they help us, and how important they are to us, as people we possibly love and appreciate;
2. It is recognizing their worth:
…through the simple act of thanking them for what they’ve done for us personally;
3. It is recognizing (noticing) the good in our lives:
…through quiet and patient reflection;
4. And it is never defined by circumstance:
…as “Gratitude is a decision and a discipline….” And Becker gives a relevant example of people in less-privileged countries, who are still grateful and happy in spite of their tough circumstances. As someone who’s undergone multiple outreach programs, I find this to be very true.
For Greater Good Magazine, writers Joel Wong and Joshua Brown dig in deeper into gratitude and what it means for our lives.
This was done through a study involving 300 college students who were struggling with depression and anxiety, while seeking counseling within their university.
The group was divided into three groups: (1) students who would write a letter of gratitude, (2) students who would reflect on negative experiences, and (3) students who would do nothing at all aside from counseling.
From 4 to 12 weeks after the first group’s experiences with writing “Letters of Gratitude,” these students reported improved mental health.
What did it take? A writing process… and incorporating gratitude into what they would write.
Wong and Brown note some potential psychological benefits of this practice.
1. Gratitude Writing shifts attention away from negative emotions.
In their study, Wong and Brown noted that in “Gratitude Writing,” more positive words were used than negative emotion words.
Which goes to show that the more we focus on positive feelings, and the less we acknowledge things we are unhappy or feel negative about, the better we are able to keep up a happy attitude.
It’s all about a shift. From feelings of “not having enough” to having all that we really need.
2. Gratitude Writing can be done privately.
Only 23% of the participants in the first group actually sent their letters to someone, and this shows that it isn’t even necessary to broadcast our thoughts in order to heal from negativity.
Gratitude Writing can be done privately, and it would still help. That’s great news.
3. Gratitude Writing only improves positive emotions over time (rather than the other way around; its effects don’t diminish).
As mentioned earlier, the participants in the first group of this study reported better mental health from 4 to 12 weeks after the writing activity.
Another incentive was given to these participants: to donate an amount of money to a cause, as a symbol of gratitude.
Those who participated in Gratitude Writing gave more money to a cause; in addition, an fMRI scan showed greater neural sensitivity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which is associated with learning.
In fact, three months after the writing activity, this neural sensitivity would only increase.
The bottom line?
Wong and Brown aptly conclude: “Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don’t have. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do.”
The bottom line is that over time and with patience, gratitude helps us shift our perspective to a healthier place. Where we can finally feel some form of positivity, through a sustained practice of gratitude that we can do very easily by writing down what we are grateful for, as often as we can.
Gratitude is seeing what we do have in our lives, regardless of what we don’t.
Ultimately, it’s a shift in perspective.
And the good news is that it’s timeless and can be done no matter the circumstance.
I’ve written a previous article on tapping into gratitude; for more ways to feel more positivity in your life, feel free to read that one as well.
