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7/16/2020 The Superpower Of GratitudeGratitude seems to be a platitudinal buzz word these days. I usually see more people talking about it than actually practicing it.  There is no shortage of social media posts about gratitude and its benefits. I wonder how many people are actually making gratitude a habit. Something that they practice and improve every day to really master it and gain the full benefits. I personally put a lot of my time and energy into practicing gratitude daily because of it’s numerous health, social, and spiritual benefits. There are a plethora of studies proving that simply journal for 2 to 5 minutes a day about what you are grateful for has a drastic positive impact on your overall health and happiness. Just 2 to 5 minutes… Imaging the benefits if someone were to make gratitude an ongoing focus and habit. I see gratitude as a real superpower for those who want to live a better life — healthier, happier, anabolic relationships, stronger emotional intelligence and a high spiritual connection. Below I am gonna share 11 of the benefits I’ve either experienced personally or learned about through my studies — before I do, I want to remind you that gratitude is not just for the events and things you label as “good” in your life. Gratitude for the struggle. Gratitude for the closed door. Gratitude for all things whether you label them “good or bad”. “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Physical Health Benefits Let’s Start With The Physical Health Benefits Of Gratitude First: There's a lot of scientific evidence that proves gratitude has a direct and positive impact on your physical health and wellness. (Google it) 1) Reduced Depressive Symptoms A study on gratitude showed that participants experienced a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms for several weeks. Also reported, those who kept the practice of gratitude journaling experienced a similar reduction in depressive symptoms for as long as the journaling continued (Seligman et al., 2005). 2) Reduced Blood Pressure Another study showed people with hypertension who practiced gratitude at least once a week experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure, resulting in better overall health (Shipon, 1977). Imagine the benefits of a more regular practice. Want a healthy heart? Gratitude is the answer! 3) Improved Sleep A gratitude intervention for two weeks increased the participants quality of sleep as well as reduced their blood pressure, leading to enhanced well-being (Jackowska, Brown, Ronaldson, & Steptoe, 2016). Want to rest better consider gratitude journaling just before bedtime. 4) Increased Exercise Frequency Could being grateful actually help you get fit? Study participants who practiced gratitude regularly for 11 weeks were more likely to exercise. (Emmons & McCullough, 2003). 5) Improved Overall Physical Health Evidence shows that the more grateful a person -- the more likely he or she is to experience better physical and psychological health (Hill, Allemand, & Roberts, 2013). In short, grateful people are generally healthier people! Emotional Health Benefits Gratitude also holds several emotional benefits — Lets take a look. Practicing an “attitude of gratitude” has been know to have a positive impact on our emotion well being. 6) Happiness Gratitude journaling as little as five minutes a day can enhance our long term happiness by over 10% (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005)! Turns out giving grateful attention to what we already have in our lives helps shift our focus from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. 7) Increased Positive Emotion Research shows that gratitude reduces envy, facilitates positive emotions, and makes us more resilient (Amin, 2014). After all, if we are grateful for what we have, what room is there for envy. Furthermore, everyone would benefit from strengthening their resilience. 8) Higher Levels Self-Esteem In a four-week gratitude contemplation program participants reported greater life satisfaction and self-esteem than control group participants (Rash, Matsuba, & Prkachin, 2011). Gratitude helps you feel better about your life’s circumstances and ultimately better about yourself. 9) Reduced Thoughts Of Suicide A study on the effects of gratitude coping, and suicide showed that gratitude is a protective factor when it comes to suicidal ideation in stressed and depressed individuals (Krysinska, Lester, Lyke, & Corveleyn, 2015). Other Benefits are social and spiritual 10) Improved Social Life Turns out people like to be around happy, healthy and grateful people. Who knew? Friends, associates and romantic partners love it when you show gratitude for all they do and gratitude for the relationship in general. This gratitude strengthens bonds, builds trust, and has an over all positive impact on relationships. This also leads to gaining a higher level of social support. 11) Increased Spiritualism
you can now see why I say practicing and mastering gratitude really is a superpower.My hope for you is that you’ll make gratitude a priority in your life. If you are struggling with gratitude and need help getting started, use the link below to schedule your free coaching call immediately — its a great place to start.
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