The Best Feeling by Showing Gratitude.
What science tells us about gratitude?
Gratitude is one of the most researched concepts in psychology and behavioral science. Not only has it been proven to improve happiness and strengthen social and personal relationships, but it has also been proven to boost success and productivity, as well as promote overall physical and mental health. Here are some surprising facts that science can tell us:
1. Most people don’t express gratitude at their workplace.
2. Women are more grateful than men.
3. Grateful people exercise more and are more health-conscious.
4. Gratitude improves sleep.
5. Gratitude lowers cholesterol levels.
6. Grateful people are more likely to achieve their goals.
7. Gratitude strengthens personal relationships.
8. Gratitude alleviates depression.
9. Gratitude helps people make wiser buying decisions and not overspend.
10. Gratitude strengthens inner peace.
With all these proven benefits, it’s no wonder that many wellness experts are recommending that their clients practice gratitude regularly. In addition, many psychiatrists are now incorporating gratitude practices and exercises into their therapies.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend” — Buddha
Gratitude is not a feeling that we give a lot of importance to. We experience it occasionally but it’s not something we really stop and reflect upon. Perhaps that’s why so many people today are so discontented and dissatisfied with their jobs, their relationships, and their lives.
In today’s consumer-driven and super-competitive world, our more prevalent emotions tend to be anger, frustration, envy and often, despair. Even people with wealth and successful careers feel this way. Why do we feel that something is missing in our lives? The likely answer is that we lack gratitude.
Although not an external skill that can be learned, gratitude is an innate quality, a potential mindset that exists in each and every one of us. It can be awakened and developed to dramatically change your outlook — and transform your life in ways you never imagined.
Practicing gratitude creates a huge paradigm shift. Suddenly, so many of the things that keep you tossing and turning at night become trivial and meaningless — while the things you should be putting your effort into, the things that have true value and meaning, become crystal-clear. No physical skill can ever transform your life in this way.
This is not a bogus theory. A wealth of research has proven that the regular practice of gratitude helps achieve lasting happiness and success.
So, how do we “practice” something as elusive and intangible as gratitude? Actually, it’s one of the easiest things to do. This 7Day Challenge will show you how to practice a different form of gratitude every day for one week. It will help rewire your brain and sow the seeds for a lasting mindset that becomes second nature. Try it yourself and at the end of the seven days you will never view your life — and the world around you — in the same way again!
Gratitude is likely one of the few things in life that has no downsides. Scientifically, there can be no doubt that gratitude is good for us on many levels!
“Mindful Positivity “
You will be on the lookout for negative things that you encounter throughout your day. These could be situations, people or things. Your goal is to find something positive in the negative, such as a lesson, takeaway, or a positive trait that offsets the negative one.
“The quality of your life will improve.”
Focusing on the good things in your life will make you more content and less likely to stress out over what you now realize are trivial things. Your mood will improve and you will have more optimism. You will begin to develop a quiet calm and inner happiness that will reflect on everything you do.
You will more easily overcome adversity. Seeing the big picture and understand what matters most to you will help you
overcome hurdles and obstacles faster. Gratitude gives you the insight and motivation to move forward rather than dwell on setbacks because you still have so much to be grateful for.
Life around you will improve. Gratitude is contagious. Thanking others and showing your appreciation makes them feel good. You will be surrounded by happy and supportive people who go out of their way to show you their appreciation in return. They will be grateful to have you in their life!
Your initial gratitude will be like a catalyst that spreads to your immediate circle and beyond. In your own little way, you’re making the world a better place!
Gratitude reduces materialism. Materialism is highly detrimental to gratitude. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to live well but our modern culture has conditioned us to never be content with what we have, even if we are already living very well. Gratitude helps us put less importance on wealth and material things, thus decreasing negative feelings of dissatisfaction and incompetence.
You will strengthen personal relationships and build a strong social circle. When you express gratefulness and appreciation for the people in your life, they will want to be around you it’s as simple as that. Expressing your appreciation to your spouse and children will strengthen family bonds as well.
Gratitude reduces feelings of envy. Envy in moderation can be a great incentive to work harder and get ahead. But excessive envy and jealousy of what others have can be emotionally damaging. The more you practice gratitude, the more accepting you will become of who you are and what you have, and this is tremendously liberating.
You will get ahead in your career. Gratitude in the workplace helps you build better connections and trust with others. This will open many doors for advancement in your career. When you are grateful for having a job, you will also become more efficient and productive at what you do.
You will be healthier. Since our mind and body are interconnected, it’s a given that gratitude can help improve your physical health. For one thing, you may become more health-conscious because you want to be around for a long time to enjoy all your blessings. In addition to this, you will have more energy and vitality and be less likely to suffer from stress-related illnesses.
These are just some of the changes you can expect when you practice gratitude — and they will truly be life changing for you and for those around you.
10 Basic Gratitude Tips
To stay motivated, consistent and be able to avoid procrastination, here are a few helpful tips to ease you into your daily practice of gratitude:
1. Start each day with a scheduled alert to remind you what the day’s challenge will be and what you are supposed to do.
2. Schedule another one or two alerts during the day as a reminder to check in with yourself and make sure you’re on the right track.
3. On the third or fourth day, block off 30 minutes to an hour to give yourself a special treat as a reward for having made it through the challenge so far. This will register to your brain that gratitude is something that you celebrate and value, helping your brain embrace it faster.
4. Keep affirmations posted where you can see them, such as on your fridge, taped onto your bathroom mirror or on your computer desktop.
5. Join a community of like minded people. Make great use of social media by finding and joining a gratitude community and engaging with like minded people. It’s a great way to share experiences, enjoy some great support and maybe even make some great friends.
6. Try guided meditation. A quick YouTube search for “Guided Gratitude Meditation” will give you access to a range of meditations of various lengths. Just put on some headphones, get comfortable and let yourself go! These meditations are a great way to unwind and practice gratitude at the same time.
7. Pray. If you are religious, prayer is one of the best ways to express your gratitude to God for all the blessings He has given you.
8. Reconnect with nature. Communing with nature is one of the best ways to stay uplifted and grateful. Take long walks, plan picnics, go hiking or cycling, or sit in your back yard and stargaze. No matter where you live, there should be opportunities for getting outside and enjoying nature and the more you do so, the better.
9. Avoid gossiping and complaining. As you begin to adopt gratitude as a mindset, this will become much easier. You will naturally gravitate towards all that is positive — and avoid wasting time talking about others or complaining. If you do tend to do these things, catch yourself doing them throughout the day and stop yourself. You should begin to notice a pattern and learn to avoid the things that trigger it.
10. Stay minded and grounded in the present. Ruminating about the past is useless because that won’t change it. Overthinking and worrying about the future is just as useless because you can’t control what happens. Your best bet is to live in the present and gratefully enjoy what you have. Mindfulness and gratitude go hand in hand and each strengthens the other. You may want to consider mindfulness exercises or meditation to train yourself to be more present at all times.
The most important thing through all this is to get excited about the changes happening inside you and how your life is slowly being transformed. Enjoy the amazing transformation, get creative and look for new ways to help you practice gratitude every day.
Conclusion
Gratitude is the feeling of thankfulness that creates magic in your brain. It is your first step towards learning how to embrace and practice gratitude in your life.
Practice the challenge week after week for as long as you need to until gratitude becomes a part of everything you do. You can also choose to practice one form of gratitude (such as minimalism or mindful appreciation) if you find that it impacts your mood and behavior more than the others. The idea is to form a new habit, so whatever works best for you will be the easiest way to do that.
Even in the worst of times, we still have things that we can be grateful for. Let that be your motto on your journey to a happier, more fulfilling life.
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