Gratitude has been shown to have a positive impact on our physical and mental health. The simple task of expressing gratitude stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin. Two chemicals that lead to feelings of happiness. By making gratitude a habit, your brain becomes conditioned to identifying the positive side of things, making it more instinctive to feel grateful.
Gratitude also improves our relationships. It helps us feel more connected to others and helps us have more self-compassion and see ourselves less critically or negatively.
Calm, an app developed to promote anxiety relief, provides a researched and clinically-reviewed summary of the benefits of gratitude. The article outlines the 4 A’s of Gratitude:
- Appreciation: Actively recognizing and valuing the positive aspects and people in your life
- Acknowledgement: Consciously acknowledging the good things and feeling thankful for them
- Admiration: Admiring the qualities, skills, or achievements of others and yourself
- Affection: Showing love and fondness for the people and things that positively impact your life
Learning how to express gratitude is life-changing for many!
Ready to make gratitude part of your daily routine? Here are some tips:
- Start and end your day with gratitude. Immediately upon waking, acknowledge the positive aspects of your health, safety, and relationships. This can set the tone for your day. Before going to bed, remember experiences from your day that brought you joy, love, or peace. It may help you fall asleep faster by removing negative thoughts.
- Every day, identify and acknowledge those who show you kindness. Acknowledging even small kind gestures can make others feel good. The more you recognize others’ kindness, the easier it will be for you to identify them consistently.
- Send three messages of gratitude each day. Write a thank you note, reach out to someone via text or email just to tell them how much they mean to you, or tell a co-worker how much you appreciate their efforts or talents. It doesn’t require much time, but positive communication can make one’s day so much better.
- Show yourself gratitude! Go beyond extending yourself grace each day and show yourself significant appreciation! Acknowledge what you do to support your health, grow your relationships, and learn each day. Say it out loud. High-five yourself in the mirror. Train your brain to treat yourself with respect and love.
- Acknowledge what you might take for granted. If you’ve ever used the phrase “first-world problems,” you understand this concept. Be thankful for the simple things others might consider luxury. A roof over your head, quiet nights, food on the table, a warm bed.We encourage you to incorporate a personal culture of gratitude.
We hope you experience happiness, reduced stress, and a brighter outlook on life!