Selfishly Unselfish
Right from the start, our parents, grandparents, and teachers have made sure we say please and thank you when asking or receiving something. Now there is evidence showing that being thankful and grateful is more than just to avoid sounding rude, it makes you happier!
In 2011, Harvard Medical School defined gratitude as a thankful appreciation for the tangible or intangible things that an individual receives. Practicing and expressing gratitude creates a positive feeling; it allows you to connect with other people, with nature and with something larger than yourself. To feel the positive benefits of gratitude it should be practiced daily. Here are a couple tips that I use to help make being grateful easy.
The Science of Gratitude
Yes, it is a SCIENCE! Gratitude is a part of positive psychology which is the scientific study of human flourishing and positive psychologists study what makes life worth living. I found the connection between positive psychology and gratitude to be interesting and thought it would be perfect to share with you. People who express gratitude regularly have better mental health, are more optimistic and have better overall well-being.
3 Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude and Make You Flourish
1. Write a Note
Recently, I came across this video called An Experiment in Gratitude (WARNING: it may make you tear up). After watching it, I decided to give a couple of my close friends a “thank you” card. I wanted to share with them why and how much I appreciate that they are in my life. I challenge you to try this! Write a short personal note to someone in your life, it can be in a card, on a scrap piece of paper, in an email or in a text. It’s not only a quick and easy way to practice gratitude, but also can make someone’s day.
2. Say Thank You… Like You Mean it
Saying thank you is not only polite but it benefits you! I challenge you to express gratitude to people about things that you don’t usually say thank you for. Researchers at the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania, looked at the effect on employees performance when their manager expressed that they were grateful for the work that they were doing. This small gesture lead to a 50% increase in employee success. So, don’t forget to say thank you even for the small and expected things.
3. Get a Gratitude Journal (and write in it!)
Writing down what you are grateful for, even if you aren’t sharing it with anyone, will also positively benefit you. I understand that it isn’t realistic to take time out of your day to sit down with a pen and write in a journal. I use my smartphone to write my gratitude notes in. I find it is easier because I can write my daily gratitude note anytime and anywhere. When I am practicing gratitude in this way I usually keep it simple, but your gratitude note can be as detailed as you want it to be. Most of the time mine are something like “I am grateful the sun is out today” or “I am grateful I didn’t burn my tongue on my coffee this morning”. Simple but effective.
Before I end this I want to invite you to be selfishly unselfish. Take a moment and write down or tell someone what you are grateful for and why. Not only will you selfishly feel happier, but unselfishly you can make someone’s day. I hope you have learned a little about gratitude today. I am truly grateful you took the time to read this!
