Gratitude is a Superpower!
Why is gratitude so powerful?
Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships (Harvard Health Newsletter).
Here are just a few of the many reasons why gratitude is so powerful:
Gratitude calms the survival brain.
In today’s world, we are bombarded with messages that we aren’t enough - we aren’t attractive enough, successful enough, happy enough. Our survival brain (the ancient part of our brain responsible for our survival) gets triggered by these messages, and can be worried that there might be something seriously wrong in our situation. When we practice gratitude, focusing on all the things that are going well, it is very calming for the survival brain. When our survival brain is calm, we are in the optimal state for living our best lives.
Gratitude can transform relationships.
Our survival brain is hard-wired to focus more on what is wrong than what is right, both in ourselves and in every aspect of our lives, including relationships. You can transform your relationships by focusing on what you are grateful for in the person and the relationship. Make a list of all the things you are grateful for. Tell the person all the things you appreciate about them. Even if a relationship is ending, you can still be grateful for the good times and all you learned from the person/relationship.
Gratitude is fun to be around.
Think of people you know who are truly grateful and appreciative of life. Chances are, they are people you enjoy being with. Gratitude makes you someone that people want to hang out with.
There are many ways to incorporate more gratitude into your life. As with any mental state, gratitude is like a muscle - the more you use the neural pathways of gratitude, the stronger they become.
Here are some ideas for how to incorporate more gratitude into your life:
Start the day with gratitude. When I remember to do this, it gets my day off to a great start. When I first wake up, I think of all the things I’m grateful for, such as waking up to another day of life here on this beautiful planet, my family, my cozy bed, my home, my dog, my neighborhood, food to eat, clothes to wear - the list goes on and on. This really gets my day started on a positive note.
Share gratitude with family members. At the dinner table, or another regular time, share with each other one or two things you feel grateful for. It’s nice to include big things, such as “I’m grateful for my good health,” with little things, such as “I’m grateful for a nice interaction with the clerk at the grocery store today.”
End the day with gratitude. Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day write down one to three things you are grateful for. If you want to challenge yourself, make a goal to come up with new things every day. Focusing on what you’re grateful for is a wonderful way to get into a relaxed, peaceful state that is conducive to sleeping.
These are just a few ideas. Like any new habit, the best way to develop a gratitude practice is to start with something small that feels very doable, and increase from there.
Practicing gratitude will, over time, shift your default mental state and can have many benefits such as greater happiness and improved relationships.
What is one way that you will start incorporating more gratitude into your daily life? Send an email telling me.
I’d love to hear from you. Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to liz@happybrainlife.com.
I’m so grateful for you!
Liz
Here are a couple articles about the many benefits of gratitude:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
https://www.onemedical.com/blog/live-well/gratitude
