It’s a cliché, but it’s true: people really can find happiness and joy in the simplest things. In fact, research shows that people who are grateful for what they have felt more positive emotions, enjoy better health and social relationships, and even experience less pain from an injury or illness.
The benefits of gratitude extend to everyone around us as well; studies show that grateful people are also more generous with their time and money than those who aren’t so appreciative. Life is full of blessings big and small–why not make a conscious effort to notice them? Here’s how you can start being thankful today.
That’s right; practicing thankfulness and expressing how grateful you are for the people and things in your life has a significant influence. Here are some easy things you can do right now to express your gratitude.
1. Tell the people you love how grateful you are for them. We often take the ones closest to us for granted. Make a point to do it regularly and be specific to make it meaningful for them.
2. Write out what you are grateful for every day. This can be a shortlist or even a single item, but taking the time to focus on the good things in your life each and every day is very powerful.
3. Look for things to be grateful for in difficult times. When everything seems to be going wrong, it can be tough to find the good. However, if you take a step back and look at things from a different perspective, you will usually find something to appreciate.
4. Share your gratitude with others. When we share our gratitude, it not only benefits those we are grateful for but ourselves as well. It feels good to express appreciation, and it can brighten someone else’s day.
5. Think about the people who challenge you. Express your gratitude for how they help you grow and make you stronger.
6. Take a few minutes each week to write a letter or email to a person who has made a difference to you at one point or another. This could be a teacher, a mentor, an old friend … anyone you can think of.
7. Give the gift of your time to someone to show without words how grateful you are to have them in your life. This is particularly important for the elderly people in your life. Your time with them is limited. Make the most of it!
8. Begin using a gratitude journal. Every day, spend some time writing down three things for which you are grateful. It will lift your spirits even on the most dismal days, and it will put issues into perspective.
9. Forgive yourself. When you don’t reach all of your objectives, or something doesn’t go as planned. Appreciate what you have and what you’re learning from each experience.
10. Thank your family and friends for all they do. Make other people feel good about themselves. It’s an effective method to convey gratitude in an indirect way. Small, distinctive presents and acts of kindness accomplish the same thing.
11. Pay it forward. Do anything nice for a coworker or a complete stranger. Random acts of kindness are an excellent approach to spread happiness and bring more optimism into the world.
12. Give a hug and a kind word to someone who is hurting. Show them through physical contact that you’re there for them and thankful they’re in your life by giving both.
13. Take care of yourself by eating well and exercising, and show your body and mind gratitude for what they do for you on a daily basis.
There are countless ways to show gratitude, and the more you do, the more you will find to appreciate. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that has a ripple effect on our lives. It can help us live happier and healthier lives, both mentally and physically.
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