Gratitude
Song; ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong
Do you know how easy it is to be grateful? It’s just about having good feelings or appreciation for something done or received.
Words that can express gratitude include thankful, appreciative, delighted, satisfied, contented, nice, good, happy, welcome and indebted. The list goes on… A simple smile or saying ‘thankyou’ is an easy way to express gratitude.
People who express gratitude are more mindful, happier, have a positive outlook and are fun to hang out with.
According to Mindful- Healthy mind, Healthy life (mindful.org) there are two main ways to express gratitude:
- To affirm the good things we’ve received.
- Acknowledging the role others play in providing our lives with goodness.
Practicing gratitude can improve your quality of life and may even help you to live a longer life.
A study through Harvard school of public health revealed that people who had a high level of gratitude had a 9% lower risk of mortality and most significantly against cardiovascular disease.
Jim Kwik is an American brain coach. He has a podcast titled ‘How gratitude Changes your Brain’. He believes by being grateful it improves brain function, productivity, releases serotonin and dopamine to make you feel good and enhances mood. He has a saying ‘What you appreciate appreciates’.
Some ways to become more grateful include:
- Starting a daily journal of a few things that make you feel happy.
- Start and end the day with a few grateful affirmations.
- Tell someone how grateful you are that they are a part of your life.
- Smile at a stranger.
- Give a small gift to someone who has helped you out or made your life a little easier.
- Just say ‘Thank You’.
Below is a link to a lovely animation to encourage gratitude. I have shown it to my grandchildren, and they love it.
https://youtu.be/4GjISSh1faU?si=abGX5qF6JAFsmidy
Below is a link to another You Tube video ‘The Science of Gratitude’ by Dr Andrew Haberman. I recommend watching it. You can also search ‘Gratitude’ on You Tube as there are many video options available to watch or listen to.
https://youtu.be/KVjfFN89qvQ?si=PVo4FvQ89iIR-gbF
If being grateful helps me to live a longer, happier life I will make sure each day I reflect on the numerous people, places and events in my life that give me reasons to be grateful.
Till next Time – ‘Keep on Rocking and Rolling’
Kim