What is gratitude?
gratitude | ˈɡratɪtjuːd
noun | the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness
Gratitude is a simple tool we all have at our disposal to improve our own well-being and that of others.
Thanks or gratitude?
From when we are little we learn 'good manners' - to automatically thanking someone for something they did for us or gave to us. It's a response to an external occurrence.
That’s a polite social expectation.
How many times do we auto respond 'thank you' without actually feeling thankful?
Gratitude is something richer and deeper, something that literally changes our lives.
Gratitude is a conscious, positive emotion one can express when feeling thankful for something, whether tangible or intangible.
Gratitude gives us those feelings of contentment, a richness and deep soul reward.
Gratitude is the feeling we have when we are truly thankful, when we recognise and acknowledge the positive and the outcome
Gratitude is conscious and intentional, that deepens and develops with practice.
What's the big deal about gratitude?
Practicing and expressing gratitude has a huge range of benefits, both short and long-term.
Grateful brains - higher activity in the area associated with learning and decision making
Grateful minds - access positive emotions more often and more rapidly, allowing us to switch from toxic emotions, such as resentment and envy to positive emotions like joy and compassion
Grateful bodies - have more robust immune systems, fewer aches and pains, lower blood pressure, and a deeper, more restoring sleep
Psychologists have extensively researched gratitude and evidence informs us that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier in general and experience less depression
Gratitude changes our brains. The practice of gratitude has affects our neurology and psychology.
A continued gratitude practice starts having long-lasting effects on mood and behavior, which can snowball over time.
A study showed that a single thoughtful appreciation leads to an immediate 10 percent increase in happiness and a 35 percent reduction in depressive symptoms. When it becomes a habit, it can help prevent anxiety and depression.
Gratitude reduce depression and boosts our optimism
The simple activity of writing a few sentences each week focusing on gratitude felt more optimistic can reducing and countering negative emotions according to research by Dr. Robert A. Emmons and Dr. Michael E. McCullough.
It leads to stronger relationships and communities
Gratitude has the flow on effect of increasing our capacity for forgiveness and compassion, which in turns increases our willingness to support others, to offer care and assistance at a higher more frequent level.
In our home this leads to stronger happier families, the bonds of love being formed in positive life affirming ways.
At work this leads to fulfilled and satisfied team members with lower rates of burnout and higher rates of productivity. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that workers were 50 percent more efficient when they had managers who actively expressed gratitude. Similar research by psychologists Adam Grant and Francesca Gino found that receiving thanks for good performance made team members feel a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. It also led to an increase in trust and initiative to help one another.
How do we 'do' gratitude?
Most of us live busy lives, balancing multiple hats or roles – how are we now supposed to fit another thing in? And how do we do we do this 'gratitude' thing?
I'm so glad you asked. I get that a gratitude practice can be less the last thing you want to do when you are faced with screaming kids, work deadlines and a partner who can't even pick up their wet towel.
Like anything worthwhile, beginning your gratitude practice may feel a little forced or unnatural, but with diligence the rewards are ah-mazing. The actual practice doesn't need to take much time, this is the sort of stuff you can do at a set of traffic lights, in the shower on the loo. But first, lets look at how we 'do' gratitude:
Acknowledge
Then
Recognise
Acknowledging the good stuff
First we need to acknowledge the good stuff that is happening in and around us.
Even when there is a lot of crappy stuff going on, take a moment to accept all the good things we are experiencing in the present moment, and bring these good things into our consciousness, create a snapshot of the good things and throughout the day recall that snapshot.
This simple daily practice allows us to identify the good things and experience the natural feeling of joy and gratitude. During this acceptance and snapshot process we are acknowledging all the aspects that make life worth living and our role in choosing many of them.
Recognising our connection to the good stuff
Now we have identified the beauty in our present, the gate opens for us to actively access the second stage of gratitude: recognising and connection with the good stuff around us.
Through the simple acknowledgement practice we start to experience joy and gratefulness and naturally reach a point where we recognise the good stuff and begin to truly appreciate the people and world around us. And with this deep appreciation comes the urge to intentionally connect and thank people around us, Mother Nature, and everything we come in contact with
Gratitude allows us to recognise our connection to the rest of humanity and acknowledge others’ roles in our lives. This practice triggers stronger relationships between partners, families, friends, and colleagues as it leads us to an active recognition of our interdependence, regardless of whether it leads us to a specific action or not.
Keen to discover more? Check out these Ted Talks: The 20 Best TED Talks And Videos on The Power of Gratitude
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