Gratitude Changes Everything

By Donna Kostiew

I was driving back from dropping my daughter off at college last night and caught myself really enjoying the quiet. The drive wasn’t too long, under two hours, I had my favorite Pandora radio station playing, and there were lightning storms all around me. It was simply beautiful and it caused me to reflect on the many things that I am grateful for.

Gratitude is something that has been taught to us from the time we were toddlers and it seems there are constant examples of how to practice it all around us. It’s an emotion similar to appreciation, it’s the quality of being thankful, and the benefits of practicing it are nearly endless. Let’s look at a few:

Well-Being

Practicing gratitude improves your overall sense of well-being. By taking time to notice and reflect upon the things you’re thankful for, you open yourself up to being able to experience an increase in positive emotions, deeper connections, better sleep, selfless acts of kindness, and a stronger immune system. 

Relationships

Gratitude can be a powerful tool for strengthening your personal relationships as well. You may find that your connections with others become stronger, that you are more willing to forgive, that you become less self-centered, and that you achieve a deeper satisfaction with your partner, friend, family member or co-worker.

Improved Physical and Mental Health

We all know there is a link between our mind and body, so when we practice gratitude, we are getting a double-dose of positivity to our health. Aside from overall well-being, gratitude plays a valuable role with influencing our physical health by reducing stress, decreasing levels of depression and anxiety, and increasing positive outlooks regarding eating habits and exercise. In light of the terrible hurricane that struck Florida, gratitude might be hard to fathom, but to keep your sanity, are you grateful for your health, and your family's health, and the dog, and that the neighbors are safe? Being able to pick out the silver linings in your life is important.  

An Overall Better Life

Not only being both mentally and physically healthier, adults who feel grateful also have more energy, are more optimistic, create more social connections and experience more happiness than those who do not. Their presence often has a profound effect on those around them.

So how do you get to that point? Like most anything, you have to practice it, and then you have to form this practice into a daily habit. You could start by keeping a journal. It’s an easy way to notice new things that you’re grateful for every day and it works because in doing so, it changes your perceptions about certain situations or events in your life. A trick is to be specific, so try to stay away from general statements. Instead of saying, “I am grateful for my children”, find something specific such as “I am grateful my daughter swept the floor tonight.” Challenge yourself to notice new things each day and pick a time to journal when you aren’t too busy or distracted. And while you’re at it, why not include others with your expressions of gratitude? You could send a letter of thanks to someone who made a huge impact on your life, or you could just simply share the moments you were grateful during the day while you enjoy dinner with your family.

It really doesn’t matter how you start, but when you do, the changes you experience will not be able to go unnoticed. I encourage you to incorporate gratitude into your daily life; most of the time, it's easier than you think.

To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Tampa, Fla.