A life spent being thankful has its benefits. Practicing gratitude enables more positive emotions to come to the surface, giving a healthier outlook on life. Grateful individuals tend to have better health, with a mindful approach to diet and exercise, and a sunnier disposition that improves mental health. Below are just some of the ways that gratitude can improve your wellness, be it mental, physical, or spiritual.
Mental Health
Within Psychology, gratitude is often linked to improved mental health and happiness. Expressing thanks for the past and present, and being hopeful for the future ensures that a positive perspective overrides many negative emotions.
Combat Stress
Practicing gratitude can also help with stress relief. Research has shown that stress levels can be managed. Keeping a positive attitude assists in overcoming problems easier, thus reducing stress levels.
Boosting your immune system
Keeping up the gratitude levels can help boost your immune system, meaning your body is able to fight infections and diseases better. Studies have shown that remaining optimistic can help maintain blood cells that protect the immune system.
This is all well and good but how can we increase or maintain our gratitude when faced with life challenges and struggles? Many of us live a hectic life, feeling demands on our time from work and family. Research has shown that lack of financial resources is not the answer to all problems.
If money is not the answer then, what is?
Here are a few suggestions that would enable you to be thankful for the life you have, even the small things.
1. Writing down your gratitude.
Whether this is in the form of a journal or just writing thank you notes to people, the act of writing down your gratitude helps to reinforce the feeling inside. In a thank you note, not only are you acknowledging gratitude within yourself, but you are also making another person aware of it. In keeping a journal, you can record and revisit your thankfulness. You can also share with someone close to you to help remind you of your gratitude.
2. Self-reflection
Self-reflection is a useful tool to help you assess your day. If there are things you could have done better, you can work towards that. Take time to be thankful for the good things in the day, and keep positive. Self-reflection is a useful tool in aiming to be kinder to yourself and maintaining that gratitude.
3. Always look for the positive
In trying to keep gratitude in our lives, we actually make them easier. Less stress, a better immune system, and good mental health can all be helped by practicing gratitude.
Removing our want for material things may be the key. Take a look around and take the world in, there are always some things you can be grateful for!