An Attitude for Gratitude
For some, this strange new world may seem like the perfect time to slow down, get organized and stay productive. To others, it is stressful and can bring up a lot of emotion that perhaps in your day to day, you were able to escape.
Regardless of your current situation, acts of gratitude are something simple to implement in your everyday life with immediate and long-lasting positive impacts on your health, resilience and overall happiness.
“On average, grateful people are 10 percent less likely to suffer from diseases brought on by stress, have 12 percent lower blood pressure, and live seven years longer.”
The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word ‘gratia’, which means grace, graciousness or gratefulness – all having to do with kindness, generosity, and appreciation. Gratitude has long been recognized as a state of mind or a general attitude toward life. A couple of simple things happen when you express gratitude.
First, gratitude shifts your focus from what you lack in life to the abundance that is present today. Second, it connects you to something larger than yourself [be it other people, nature or a higher power] once you recognize that this goodness comes from things outside of you.
Throughout history, philosophers and religious leaders have praised gratitude as a virtue essential to health and wellbeing. Plato once wrote: “A grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things.”
More recent studies on gratitude confirmed the impact on our physical and emotional health. On average, grateful people are 10 percent less likely to suffer from diseases brought on by stress, have 12 percent lower blood pressure, and live seven years longer.
“Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” - researchers at Harvard Medical School.
Gratitude can become a habit, a personality trait and eventually a way of life. Try the following habits to shift your state of mind:
Write it down: Whether it’s a thank-you note, a few lines in a journal or on a post-it note, the act of writing clarifies emotions that may have been unspoken or recognized in the past. A thank-you note is a perfect way to recognize the people in your life that you are grateful for, while journaling will help focus your attention on the positive. Consider using a gratitude app like Gratitude and document your thoughts throughout the day.
Pause: Whether it’s a pause to take a few deep breaths, or stopping to recognize the beauty in the changing colours of the leaves, take a moment to quietly go outside of yourself and recognize your connection and influence on everything around you.
Pay it forward: Volunteering has a huge impact on your happiness. Make the time to take the focus off yourself and place it on those in more need around you. Whether it is volunteering at a homeless shelter or participating in a small act of kindness, you will feel a greater appreciation for what you do have all while receiving a boost of happiness to you and your community.
Meditate: Focusing on the present moment without judgment can help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Sit quietly, breathe easily and focus on what you are grateful for during your meditation. To learn how to meditate try the Headspace app free trial here or check out Zest Wellness’ Whil program on the Virgin Pulse desktop app.
Get inspired: There are several inspiring talks on cultivating gratefulness. The most inspiring one I’ve seen is a Ted Talk given by Louie Schwartzberg, award-winning cinematography, director and producer, who has been shooting time-lapses of flowers for over 30 years. The last few minutes of his talk feature a short film narrated by David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk. Watch this beautiful piece here and let it serve as your first meditation on gratitude for today.
