What would you say if I told you there was a new treatment on the market that may alleviate pain, enhance mood, alter sleep, prevent disease, and make you feel better about yourself – and it’s free?
The fact is that these are only a fraction of the physical, mental, and emotional advantages of practising daily thankfulness, which requires no investment other than a few minutes of your time. Let’s go further into this.
Why More Gratitude Is Beneficial to Our Health, According to Science
Gratitude is beneficial to both the body and the soul. In reality, research after study has validated the advantages of regular appreciation practise, which include:
- Reduced negative emotions such as jealousy, irritation, resentment, and regret Reduced depressive symptoms.
- Better self-esteem as a result of better sleep at night.
- After experiencing trauma, stress levels are reduced, and the chance of developing PTSD is reduced.
- A greater feeling of hope for the future.
- Increased physical activity/exercise frequency.
- Fewer trips to the doctor’s office resulted in higher happiness scores.
- Physical health has improved, with fewer aches and pains.
Gratitude also has a powerful influence on others around you. Studies suggest that expressing thanks to your mate may strengthen your bond and help you solve challenges. Employees work more when their bosses thank them frequently.
It’s hard to disagree with evidence: cultivating appreciation should be part of our everyday routines. Life is busy. And it’s easy to get grumpy. What is there to be thankful for?
I’m excited to share the tools I use to be attentive and appreciative every day, no matter what. Let’s begin.
Make a Master Gratitude List
Spend an hour writing down your blessings. Your list should include family, health, money, profession, and spirituality.
Nothing is too little. Gratitude for the tiny things in life may foster a spirit of resilience that is tough to break. Unexpected joys can be found in unexpected places, like a new bud on your favourite tree, or a profound interaction with a stranger.
Create a master list of blessings in a notebook. On the toughest days, this might help you think about appreciation.
Start the Day with Gratitude
When you wake up each morning, take a moment to reflect on why it’s worth it. Some days are better than others. Maybe the sun is shining and it’s warm. Maybe a lovely winter snow has fallen. Maybe your toddler is sound asleep under your blankets.
No matter how difficult a day may seem, there will always be something to be thankful for if you look hard enough. When I’m having a hard time finding thankfulness, I think of all the people in the world that are suffering. As I reflect on my worst moments, I’m struck by how far I’ve come from the despair I felt then, and I’m filled with gratitude as I compare what is to what may be. When I review my “master list”, I often discover that I have missed out on numerous opportunities for gratitude.
Take notice of the things you’re grateful for and share them with others. Every morning, write down three to five things you’re grateful for in order to get your day off to a great start and engage the portion of your brain that keeps you happy and productive throughout the day.
Become fully immersed in the present moment.
Whether you’re young or old, you’re going to have a lot of things to do all the time.
There is less focus than ever before, which means that you can go through the motions of life without fully experiencing it.
In order to be fully present in the moment, you must use all of your senses to experience it. What are you sensing as you put your hands on your skin? My ears are ringing. Is there anything in the background that is so subtle that it is difficult to notice? What are you able to see, taste, and smell in the present moment?
Being in the now offers you a lot to be thankful for, since sensory experiences are a gift in and of themselves. When you concentrate on your senses, it’s nearly impossible to let your thoughts wander to worry about pending bills, unfinished errands, or other mundane concerns. You’re able to fully immerse yourself in the situation.
Set aside a few minutes each day to carefully record what each of your senses is picking up. If you can’t locate a place to eat outside, find a window or an empty room in your house and eat there. If that’s what works for you, write down everything you notice in a diary entry.
Returning to Gratitude
Before crawling into bed for the night, take a moment to reflect on your day. Include 10 minutes of journaling and reflection in your sleep ritual. Consider the following:
What did I like the most today?
What was I thinking?
Which opportunities did I grab in order to live in the present?
Did I immediately realise my blessings? Is it true that I’ve ever been sidetracked by negative thoughts and complaints? What worked well in diverting my thoughts?
The Happier Mind Journal is intended to help you incorporate more appreciation into your daily life. It provides you with the tools and space you need to commit to thankfulness and then track your progress and the outcomes of that progress in your everyday life. You can write in any way that helps you reach your goal, but if you keep the same structure for a long time, you can build a habit. Habits help you build a life that supports your goals.
#Experience #Gratitude