So many of us are looking for the miracle remedy. It seems to be the American Way. We want to be happy, less stressed, healthy. We want to sleep well and feel confident in life. Is there a magic remedy for all the things that bother us in life? There is no magic potion or pill that will make us joyful, robust, well-adjusted people. But there is a solution. Recent research claims that gratitude can cure pretty much whatever ails us. Yes, you read that right. Simply feeling grateful for what you have right here, right now, can make you happier, healthier, and more capable of meeting life’s challenges.
Recovering addicts and alcoholics can find meaningful happiness with GRATITUDE.
Here are some ways gratitude can improve your life:
1. A Full Heart is a Healthy Heart
It has been proven at the University of California School of Medicine that better heart health is enjoyed by those who have a consistently grateful attitude. The test subjects had healthier heart rhythms and less inflammation.
2. Sleep Like a Baby
At the University of California Davis, professor Robert Emmons has been studying the effects of gratitude on stress levels. “Feelings of thankfulness have tremendous positive value in helping people cope with daily problems, especially stress,” says Professor Emmons. Stress has been proven to cause heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and problems sleeping. Lower your stress levels and these maladies are lessened. And, according to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, people who jot down a gratitude list before bed sleep better and longer.
Thankfulness reduces stress and strengthens the heart.
3. Boost Your Mood and Your Immune System
The University of Utah conducted a study among first year law students. Says Lisa Aspinwall, PhD,” Studies link optimism to better immune function.”
They found that students with an optimistic attitude maintained a higher number of disease-fighting cells in their system than their more pessimistic classmates.
4. A Healthy Attitude Makes a Healthy Body
A 2012 study found that grateful people are generally healthier than others. They are more likely to get regular check-ups with their doctors. They exercise more and report less aches and pains. People who regularly list things they are grateful for have a healthier diet as well! They ingest up to 23% less dietary fat. Exercise, a healthy diet, and gratitude cam slow the aging effects of the brain. Having an optimistic attitude actually does a body good!
5. Love Your Life, Love Yourself
Athletes have been proven to have higher self esteem when they are actively grateful. This was published in a 2014 study in Journal of Applied Psychology. Gratitude helps those who are not athletes as well. According to other studies, people who are grateful for what they have are less likely to compare themselves to others. They can be happy about the good things in other people’s lives because they are happy with their own.
6. Gratitude Lists Are Like Mental Push Ups
Do you want to be mentally and emotionally stronger in the face of adversity? Keep a gratitude journal. When people are mindful of the good things in their life, they are focused outward, according to Professor Emmons. Keeping mental focus outside of the self tend to lessen depression, aggression and resentment.
How to Develop an Attitude of Gratitude:
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Just listing 5 things you are grateful for every day can improve your physical and emotional health
Write It On the Wall
Make a list of all things that are good in your life and put it where you can see it daily. As you look at it, ask yourself,”which of these things am I talking for granted?”
Look at things From a Different Perspective
Practice looking at situations from another perspective. For instance, someone who cuts you off in traffic may have done it by accident. Empathy for another’s situation makes you grateful for what you have.
Make Lemonade
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Sounds corny, but it works! When difficult situations arise, try to look at them as learning experiences. Working with someone who is consistently difficult can help you cultivate patience and empathy. Perhaps losing that job or opportunity allows you to take on new responsibilities. Here are some inspirational quotes to lift you up when you feel down.
For thousands of years, philosophers and spiritual leaders have praised the value of “counting your blessings” so that you can appreciate life more. Now, science is proving that a positive and grateful attitude can promote good health and life satisfaction. Developing an attitude of gratitude is one of the easiest ways to improve you life on many levels. Don’t believe us? Give it a try anyway. It doesn’t cost a thing to be grateful. It takes very little time or effort, and the rewards can be enormous. Gratitude can be life’s little magical pill.
