Showing gratitude is a mindset that each of us should practice on a daily basis. Did you know that people who express gratitude regularly live longer, are healthier, and also have a lower incidence rate of overweight, obesity, stress, anxiety and chronic disease? Those benefits alone are worth practicing gratitude on a daily basis. Who doesn’t want to live a longer healthier life? I know I do.
Yet, we find ourselves expressing gratitude less and less. Life is hectic and we can get so caught up in all the negative events swirling around us that we forget to be grateful.
As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let’s find ways to practice gratitude and experience the benefits from being grateful. I’ll even give you a free gift to get you started; it is located at the end of this post.
Here are 7 benefits from practicing gratitude every day…
Healthy Relationships
Being grateful every day means telling the important people in your life that they matter. This improves your relationships on a daily basis. Being mindful of the people around you can be a challenge in our day-to-day busyness. Don’t be so distracted that you fail to smile at others and to acknowledge them throughout the day.
Stress-Relief
Practicing gratitude is a great stress reliever. Worrying about life causes your body to release the adrenal hormone Cortisol. Too much cortisol impacts your body in a negative way, causing physical and emotional health problems. Use gratitude to help you cope with stress. Do you say “Thank You” when others do small acts of kindness? Make it a practice to notice the small acts of kindness throughout the day and be the one who offers a smile and “thank you” when it is least expected.
You Socialize More
Do you enjoy being around others? We were not intended to live a life of solidarity. People who are not grateful for the gifts in their lives tend to stay away from others. They huddle away in their homes, fostering a negative view on the world. When you appreciate the people and things in your life, you naturally want to socialize more, to reap more grateful benefits. Put yourself out there, volunteer in areas that touch your heart. You’ll be amazed how your life will become brighter.
You Sleep Better
How’s your sleep? Often we let the events of the day keep us awake at night trying to solve issues that seem to be beyond us. Not only do you lose sleep, you also lose your health. When your relationships are healthy and you’re not allowing the worries of life get the best of you, because you’re practicing gratitude, you’ll naturally sleep better. This leads to better mental and physical health in a number of ways.
You’re a More Likable Person
You’ve been around others who always have a rain cloud over their head, well don’t be one of those people. No one enjoys their company. When you tell people they are important to you, that they matter, this makes them feel good. They want to be around you. They will often times repay the gratitude. When you take the time to express how grateful you are for others, rather than leaving it unspoken and assumed, you’ll become a more likable person.
Gratitude Beats Depression
You may ask yourself, “What do I have to be thankful about?” You may feel you’re in a deep pit with no way out. The days are dark and cloudy with no sun in the forecast. So what do you do?
Practicing gratitude has been shown to bring about a positive mindset when you’re in the dark pit of depression. Remember, there is always something to be thankful about – always. You may not feel it, but the more you pay attention to your life, the more you’ll discover the gifts in your life. Start with the normal stuff – you woke up, you have food, you have a roof over your head, you have clothes to put on, just continue along those lines. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the birds are singing. Start practicing some gratitude today and kick depression to the curb.
Expressing Gratitude Makes You Happier
Okay, let’s get started expressing gratitude everyday. The more you practice this habit, the better your health will be. Keeping a gratitude journal has shown to increase your health and well-being by more than 10%.
Here’s a 30 day gratitude challenge for you to get started with. For the next 30 days, write down at least one thing you are grateful for. By the end of 30 days you will be able to see the areas in your life that bring about gratitude and what makes you happy.
A Day of Gratitude is Every Day
I promised you a free gift to get you started practicing gratitude and I hope you’ll begin to use it today. Get your “Gratitude Journal – A 30 Day Journey” today.
Join us in our members only Facebook group and begin the 30 Day Gratitude Challenge. This will be a fun way to end the year and we’ll be ready to face the new year with a heart filled with gratitude.