Sometimes we get so caught up in our daily routine and forget to tell those around us how much we appreciate them. Incorporating gratitude in our daily lives not only impacts our mental and physical health but also improves our general well-being. Showing gratitude to the people around you (including yourself) does wonderful things in their lives.
If you’re having a hard time with being grateful, start by fixing the things in your life that make it difficult for you to be grateful. Doing so will help you deal with all the negativity in your life in a healthy way.
Who Should Feel Gratitude?
Isn’t it weird how some people still manage to be grateful in the face of adversity? This shows that gratitude is all about a person’s perspective and view of life. You do not need to have a lot of material things in order for you to be grateful. Life satisfaction comes when we are content with what we have no matter how “little” it is.
When you put too much emphasis on materialism, you will not be truly happy. It would, therefore, be safe to say that when you “count your blessings” you will always find a reason to be grateful.
People who perceive gratitude as a permanent trait rather than a temporary state of mind tend to be happier and healthier.
Boosting Your Health with a Dose of Gratitude
If you want to live a healthier life, you need to give thanks more often. Such gratitude is usually rewarded with better health. Research has shown that there is a strong connection between gratitude and health.
Let us have a closer look at some of the ways in which our health is impacted when we cultivate gratefulness as a virtue:
1. Gratitude helps us fight depression and anxiety
People who are struggling with depression and anxiety can bring positivity into their lives by being grateful. Although it may take quite some time before you are able to see results, there is evidence that it works. All you need to do is focus more on the things and the people in our lives who bring us joy.
Another way in which you can experience these wonderful effects is by sharing your gratitude with other people. In the process, our relationships with our friends and family get stronger. This helps us deepen our connection to the people that matter to us the most.
2. Gratitude helps us live a stress-free life
When we are grateful in life, we spend more time thinking positive thoughts. If we don’t give much attention to negativity, then we reduce our stress levels. It is no secret that when we focus on the positives in our lives we notice all the good things in our lives no matter how small. Harboring negativity only causes us to feel frustrated and hopeless.
3. We are more likely to do self-care practices
When we are at that “happy” place in life and our future looks bright, we will be more inclined to take better care of ourselves. We will want to work out and eat healthy because we know that the future holds so much for us.
Gratitude leaves us feeling more energized to take anything that life brings our way. With such a positive attitude, we’ll be sure to conquer anything.
4. Or bodies feel better
When a person has so much negativity in his/her life, they tend to feel stressed. This causes the body to release a lot of stress hormones. These chemicals generally make us feel tired- your overall health degrades and it can even shave some time off your life. Gratitude boosts up the “feel-good” hormones putting the body in a relaxed stated.
5. Life generally goes on more smoothly
Gratitude impacts different aspects of your life in such a way that we live better, more vibrant lives. We start being more considerate, compassionate, and kind. We also get deeper sleep and everything around us gets better with time including our careers. In short, changing the frame of mind creates magic in all aspects of our lives.
How to Cultivate Gratitude
Since you have already seen how gratitude impacts your health, you know the true importance of gratitude. We came up with some gratitude enhancing strategies to help you improve your overall health and well-being:
Conclusion
In addition to being good for your health, gratitude generally makes you a better person. People who are more grateful show better well-being, a less depressed mood, less stress, less fatigue, and sleep better.
When you are grateful, you feel more connected with your inner self, the people around you, and the environment. This has a profound effect on a person’s physical and mental health because it recruits positive emotions that are very beneficial to us.
Lastly, if you’re struggling with gratitude, it’s not too late- gratitude is something you keep learning.
