When people succeed in achieving their goal, intent upon the pursuit of happiness, they move on to a new one. It is perfectly all right once they cared to pause and offer gratitude for what they have gained. This pause actually serves an important purpose: rushing on ceases, there is time to consider and evaluate what they already have. The process may seem to have little meaning at first, but once you have connected with it properly, it will prove to be both pleasurable and profitable. You’ll see that gratitude will make you happier.
Being grateful does things to the body
Scientists discovered that feeling grateful produces a lasting effect on health in general. People who are satisfied with their position and thankful for the good things they have lead healthier lives, eat and sleep better, are sport-minded, and all that tells on their physical and mental condition.
What’s more, thankful people manifest better resistance to stress and pain, have a stronger immune system. It is believed that the attitude conduces to a healthier heart and a more stable blood pressure.
As for mental well-being, gratitude also improves that by boosting self-esteem, securing an optimistic outlook on life, and giving rise to all kinds of positive feelings.
Basking in thankfulness, content, and peace with one’s mind, one’s body generates chemicals that make one sturdier and healthier.
When an individual is feeling grateful, neurotransmitters get to be more active in his or her body. In particular, it is dopamine, the pleasure chemical, and mood-influencing serotonin. As a result, the brain is induced into issuing the hormone oxytocin which is linked with experiencing generosity and trust; consequently, it conduces to better socializing, feeling in with your friends and coworkers.
This establishes a strong connection between feeling grateful and being happy, so acquiring the habit of thankfulness is sure to help those lacking in joys and pleasures of living.
Developing the experience of being grateful
Being recurrently grateful requires certain cultivation, so you may need some tips to master it.
Thank people in writing
You cannot but have people in your life to whom you are grateful for their meaningful participation in your life. If, after a quality time together, you will be inclined to pen a letter or an email thanking you for the experience, both you and the recipient will feel happier, and your bond will grow stronger. Write at least one thank-you letter each month. There is nothing to prevent you from writing such messages to yourself when you have reasons to be proud of yourself.
Address the issue creatively
Look around for some stuff that could make up a collage of things you can be thankful for.
Offer mental thanks to people
If it is not convenient to write or text, you can express your thanks to someone who has done you a favor in your mind, thinking of them with gratitude.
Gratitude on your feet
As you are having a long walk, look around and give thanks to everything you see around – the sky, the sun, trees, grass.
Record gratitude in a special notebook
At the end of the day allot several minutes to sit down and jot down all the good things that came your way. Or you can tell about it to your partner, on a regular basis by agreement.
List your boons and godsends
We really come by a lot of things we can be grateful for – and how many of them remain unnoticed and even unnoted? It’s up to you to remember and count them. You don’t have to offer gratitude for every single lucky fluke; but it’s worth your while to account for some five or six godsends to yourself week in, week out. Be explicit – write why it was beneficial for you, how you took it and what your feelings were.
Pray out your gratitude
If you are religious you can express all your thankful feelings in ardent prayer.
It’s a good subject for meditating on
Meditation means you keep up non-judgmental concentration on here and now. It’s customary to choose a word to meditate on, but it shouldn’t necessarily be a word: you can concentrate on something that is good, like a warm sensation, or someone’s good deed that is on your mind.
These activities may require certain psychological shifts (not many of us are in the habit of expressing such ideas in writing, for example). Still, you don’t lose anything in the attempt, while spending more time on pleasant feelings and joyful recollections will prove a fine rest from reaching out for more of what we don’t have. More appreciation means fewer things taken for granted and more things enjoyed to the full.
