Happiness - the foundation of gratitude
Thankfulness is the quick path to joy
Jefferson Bethke
Gratitude is a spontaneous feeling but, increasingly, research demonstrates its value as a practice—that is, making conscious efforts to count one’s blessings. It’s the appreciation of the valuable and meaningful things in our lives. As one of the world’s leading experts in gratitude, Robert Emmons, explains in His essay on gratitude:
It’s an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received.
Gratitude is a choice.
One such case is renowned physicist Albert Einstein, who lived through World Wars I and II. After being forced to flee his home in Berlin, never to return, Einstein settled first in Belgium, before seeking refuge in the English countryside, and finally building a new life for himself in the United States.
But despite the adversity and hardships he experienced over the course of his lifetime, Einstein was resilient, practical and resolutely positive: "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle".
Why graTitude matters
You may already know the benefits that come along with practicing gratitude (it boosts your mood and self-esteem, helps you experience better health and sleep), but even with all the good it does, in times like these, it’s easy to fall off the gratitude wagon and focus on the bad. Here’s some further benefits:
Helps reduce stress - People who are grateful feel less pain, less stress, suffer insomnia less, have stronger immune systems, experience healthier relationships, and do better academically and professionally.
Support your mental health - Grateful people are indeed less likely to have mental health problems.
Engage in better self care - Spend a few minutes writing down what you’re grateful for.
Take a look around and try to imagine how different your life would be if you didn’t have the things or the people you love. You don’t have to think about extreme negative situations. Just think about how your day would be different without them and recognize their positive impact on your life.
Practicing gratitude transforms your outlook upon life in overwhelming ways. Within just a couple of days, you will feel that noticing the good things will get easier. And over time, you will know in your heart that life is beautiful, no matter what happens.