The Transforming Power Of Gratitude
THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF GRATITUDE
When you look up the term gratitude it reads the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and return to kindness. The definition has two components. It’s an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world that we are thankful for. The second part of the definition is about expressing or showing that sense of appreciation. It’s looking at the bigger picture. Appreciating ourselves but also looking at all of the people, situations who have contributed to our world and life.
When you feel gratitude for one thing in your life, it tends to overflow into other areas of your life. It’s not just a quality of being thankful or merely writing a gratitude list. It’s about integrating it and living it through your daily thoughts, words and habits.
We all know we should feel it and express it, but often it gets brushed aside for more impulsive states of mind like irritation and impatience. Gratitude may not be an emotion that comes natural to us in the day to day running of life. It somehow can take a backseat. In the nature of the society we live in there can be far more pertinent things on our to do list.
I know a lot of people will be motivated by the benefits or results of practising gratitude. From my own experience the results or reasons in terms of why you would practise can be a limiting way of looking at this. Approaching this exercise in terms of what you can gain is not the right mindset. There is no room for the ego here. Humility accompanies gratitude. Arrogance and pride are impossible to have when you experience gratitude. It’s a way of living. It’s a way of being.
Having understood and explored what the essence of gratitude is, it’s easy to see how it can impact your life. There’s no limit to this impact. In positive psychology research, gratitude is associated with happiness. It helps people experience more positive emotions, relish life and its experiences, improve health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. On a subconscious level practising gratitude helps counterbalance our negativity bias.
This is not about avoiding some of life’s experiences that will bring up more challenging emotions which are naturally difficult to navigate.It is important to understand and go through these emotions.
There are many things for which we cannot be grateful, but there is no moment for which we cannot be grateful, because in every moment, even difficult ones, we have the opportunity to do something.
The benefits of gratitude go far beyond words. It’s an operation of the heart. Whether you choose to write a few sentences in a journal or silently take a few moments to say thanks through prayer or meditation, giving thanks can transform your life. Let’s look at some of the transforming impacts.
Happiness
Gratitude is an effective way to boost your mood. Being grateful will flood your brain with a chemical called dopamine. When you are truly grateful for someone or something you will experience a natural high. It will allow you to experience more joy and feel more positive emotions. Thinking of small things in your life that you are grateful for has a positive impact on how you feel and behave.
Resilience & Faith
Having resilience is more than just getting through the tough times. It’s a commitment to finding purpose in whatever’s happening and a belief that you will grow and learn from the experience. My own experience is that there’s something far greater at play in the universe than us.A belief in a higher power. I do acknowledge that belief is not for everyone. Dr Robert Brooks showed that people who practised gratitude were better able to bounce back after hardships than other people. Nurturing feelings of gratitude can help you heal from difficult life experiences. Gratitude has amazing power to lift your spirits and help you focus on the positives of life.
Antidote to comparison
Several studies have found that gratitude increased people’s self worth and reduced comparison. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who seem to be more or have more in life. Grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.
Enhances Empathy and understanding
According to recent research grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even when it may be very difficult to. Study participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others, even when given negative feedback. They have an understanding that the behaviour of someone else has nothing to do with them. They experienced more sensitivity and empathy toward other people and a decreased desire to seek revenge.The more you express gratitude the easier it is to put other people’s actions into perspective and to interpret how and why they feel or respond to circumstances in specific ways.
Promotes Selflessness
Although Gratitude must start with yourself. Being thankful for what and who you are is a strong foundation. It is deeply rooted in taking the focus off ourselves and redirecting our attention to those around us in the world. We are all one and interconnected.