By Hollie Muir, Senior Editor
Gratitude is defined as: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Also meaning thankfulness, or gratefulness, gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus meaning ‘pleasing or thankful’, and is a feeling of appreciation felt by and/or a positive response shown by the receiver of kindness, gifts, help, favors, or other types of generosity, towards the person showing gratitude.
Many of us probably don’t even realise we are showing gratitude. The smallest act of saying thank you, when someone opens a door for you, or if you receive a compliment from someone, is an act of gratitude. From a scientific perspective, however, gratitude is not just an action: it is also a positive emotion that serves a biological purpose. For example, a small study carried out by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, who studied more than 1,000 people aged between eight and 80, found that those who consistently practised gratitude enjoyed many physical, social and psychological benefits. Physically, these people had stronger immune systems, were less bothered by aches and pains and enjoyed better sleep. Psychological benefits included feeling more joy and pleasure, experiencing more optimism and being happier. And, socially, they were more helpful, generous and compassionate, and they even reported feeling less lonely and isolated.
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
But why is gratitude so powerful? Gratitude allows us to celebrate the present and take ourselves away from all of the negative emotions we are feeling. Science shows that grateful people have a greater sense of self-worth. Self worth is an internal state of being. It allows us to understand, accept and love ourselves. It is a direct measure of how we value ourselves, despite what other people may think or say and, subsequently, having self acceptance is our ultimate goal, as being happy with ourselves brings us happiness with everything we do. But, back to the main point- research even suggests that grateful people are more likely to, and in a better position to, recover from serious trauma, adversity and suffering.
In theory, there are two stages of gratitude. The first is acknowledging the good in your life. We feel that life is good and it has elements in it that make it worth living, so the acknowledgement that we have received something gratifies us. Secondly, gratitude is recognising that some of the sources of this ‘goodness’ come from outside of ourselves. We become grateful to other people, animals and the world in general, but not to ourselves. So, at this stage, we recognise the ‘goodness’ in our lives, and who to thank for it.
Overall, gratitude is a selfless act, meaning we are more concerned with other people than ourselves. So when we act with gratitude, we are really not expecting anything back, which is why this feeling is so wholesome. Therefore, gratitude can be contagious, in a good way!
After studying gratitude, it was found that it helps us and our minds in four main ways:
Gratitude ‘unshackles’ us from toxic emotions.
Gratitude helps even if you don’t share it.
Gratitude’s benefits take time.
Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain.
Practising gratitude is the main way to receive its benefits. And, since, we are now entering another national lockdown for a month or so, here are some suggestions of ways to nurture gratitude for yourself and others:
Keep a gratitude journal or diary- the theory here is that, even though life can be difficult, there is always something we can be thankful for. Simply writing down what you are grateful for everyday from the largest to smallest moments. It is what you feel grateful for that matters. And, there’s lots of evidence to suggest that journaling in this way reduces stress, promotes calm feelings and helps you focus on what really matters to you.
Take a gratitude walk- especially now we are entering another lockdown, these types of daily walks can bring real benefits. Practising gratitude has many benefits, as does walking, so together taking a gratitude walk brings us mindfulness and an appreciation for our surroundings. Take a walk and just think, ‘what am I grateful for?’
Give thanks online- if you feel better showing gratitude online rather than journaling or taking a walk, then posting on social media could be another way to show gratitude. This could be photographs of what makes life great, or a reflection post of the week or month. Doing any of these will encourage others to join in and be thankful to others around them too.
Practice everyday gratitude- actively thanking people around you who show kindness to you, especially during this pandemic, will not only make you feel good about yourselves, but will remind people that they are worth it. You can even practice gratitude with your family or friends.
Focus on the positive- practising gratitude works because it gives us a positive perspective on life. Of course it is hardest now to focus on the positive, but just focusing on small things, and knowing that things will get better can help us along the way.
Now you know that there are so many simple ways to practice gratitude, why don’t you try it for yourself! Thank someone who opens a door for you, thank someone for giving you a gift or a complement, thank the world for providing this wonderful life, and most of all, thank yourself, for understanding you, for accepting yourself and for being who you are.
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