Gratitude works wonders!

For those in the US, I hope your Thanksgiving was very precious and memorable. 

This is a time of year when we put our focus on what we’re thankful for and the people that mean so much to us throughout the year.  In the sweet moments of celebrating the holidays with our loved ones, it can seem as if our feelings of gratitude will last forever.

If only…

There are many studies (especially the dedicated work of Stanford University’s BeWell program) which indicate the massive benefits of working with gratitude consistently. Gratitude can, in fact, turn around many of the darkest of circumstances. According to their research, Stanford sites, “Gratitude reframes your thinking toward more positive emotions, allowing you to develop connectedness, humility and a sense of indebtedness. Gratitude has been shown to improve sleep, reduce cortisol levels, and treat depression better than Prozac! It can even prolong your life.”

Some awesome facts (according to Science Direct research) regarding 

Grateful people. They:

• Tend to have a stronger bond with their local community

• Have 10% less stress-related illnesses

• Are more physically fit

• Have 12% lower blood pressure

• Have more satisfying relationships with others and are better liked

• Have an income level that is approximately 7% higher than others

• Among kids, they’re 20% more likely to get better grades and 13% less likely to engage in fights

• (As teens) are less likely to start smoking

• Aren’t ruled by wealth. In fact, wealth doesn’t determine their gratitude. The countries where people experienced the most gratitude are oddly some of least advantaged, including: South Africa, The Philippines, and India. 

• Will live approximately 7 years longer than others.

So why don’t we just spend more time thinking thankful thoughts? 

It’s simple; normal life includes negativity. We can’t escape it. How we respond to the negativity is what makes all the difference.  

Add to this that our minds are wired to focus on survival, to be on the lookout for threats, so keeping our focus on positivity is something that requires training, literally. 

And, worst of all, those of us who live privileged lives are at a disadvantage. Having more, it turns out, makes us less grateful and/or able to be grateful for what we experience that should cause joy. Simply put, we’re jaded. When we think we need ‘big’ wins to feel joy,  we miss the powerful emotional responses that come from small acts of appreciation.

To help ensure you can reap the benefits of gratitude more regularly, here are four ways to put gratitude to work for you. 

1.    The 3 to 1 principle 

According to the research from psychologist Barbara Fredrickson of University of North Carolina, our happiness ratio depends on a balance of 3 positives for each negative.  For every negative thing that happens, think of three positive things for which you’re thankful. (This works well too when evaluating your partner or others. For every negative thing you think, come up with three positive things to counteract the negative. Notice how much better you feel about them and yourself when this becomes your practice.)  

2.    Morning routine

Additional research shows that having a morning routine whereby you wake and put your focus immediately on several things you’re grateful for directly impacts your mood longer term. By day 4 or 5, you’ll notice that your outlook has lifted. The effects of such a practice last for up to six months. 

3.    Remembering kindness

Sit in silence and recall a time someone did something nice for you.

The sheer act of remembering affects your energy and ultimately your mood and mindset. Can you make a point of focusing more on great memories versus negative ones? 

4.    Reduce materialism

A study by Science Direct proved that,  the more attention given to materialistic things bringing you happiness, the less happy we are. “...A materialistic outlook, which looks for satisfaction in what one does not have, would impair the ability to be grateful for what one has now.” This might be where ‘micro-appreciations’ come to bear great impact. Finding even the smallest of things that brings you a happy heart and acknowledging them can bring significant shifts in our happiness and pleasure centers. 

Gratitude provides super-powers in our toolbox - the ability to overcome the uncertainty and stress the world throws at us. 

Before beginning, document, on a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being extremely high and 1 being extremely low) how happy you feel in the moment. Then do one of your gratitude practice(s) and recalculate your joy factor. See if you don’t notice a positive shift in your emotional realm.  Can you begin to imagine how this could have a more significant impact, were you to continue? 

Reach out HERE if gratitude is a challenge for you and you finally want to make a change. I specialize in helping clients reach deep and to discover the gifts they didn’t know were hidden in their shadows. There’s much there for you to be grateful for; of this I am certain. 

I’ll help you find it and I’ll ensure you get back on a path of loving your life and having even more to celebrate by this time next year. 

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” - Eckhart Tolle.

Be grateful. Be happy. Start now.