Being thankful for what you have can make you happier. People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.
“Gratitude is a gracious acknowledgment of all that sustains us, a bow to our blessings, great and small, an appreciation of the moments of good fortune that sustain our life every day. We have so much to be grateful for.” - Jack Cornfield
Simple ways to show gratitude - create a gratitude journal and write down each day what you are most grateful for. Writing a brief reflection for the moments we are thankful for can significantly increase well-being and life satisfaction.
Rewire your brain with gratitude:
Scientists have shown we can rewire the neural pathways that regulate our emotions, thoughts, and reactions, creating new neural pathways – that lead us to gratitude and joy instead of anxiety and fear.
By practicing five minutes per day of gratitude you can rewire your brain. Start to become an observer of all of the wonderful things in life. Notice what comes up. Write them down or think about them when you first wake up or right before you fall asleep. By tuning into the positive we can change our habitual mind to look for the good. Training our brains to be more optimistic will produce a chain reaction in the brain setting off feel-good hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. Leading to increased happiness.
Gratitude Journal
Write down five things you are grateful for each day. By writing about a positive event in your life your brain relives that good feeling. When you focus repeatedly on something that feels good, your brain rewires itself to do that more effortlessly in the future. Your thoughts become habits and your habits become your lifestyle.
Simply write each day in your gratitude journal and focus on the positive. You will begin to see changes in your attitude and look upon life.