Suzanne Marlatt Stewart
How often do you feel—and express—gratitude in your everyday life? Maybe you’re thinking of the numerous times that you’ve said “thank you” to someone for a kind gesture—or maybe you’re remembering the last time you felt grateful to be spending time with family or friends. You might also be wondering: How much impact can these small, sometimes fleeting moments of gratitude really impact on my life?
As it turns out, the answer is: A lot. Knowledgeable experts agree, the act of practicing gratitude (which goes way beyond just saying “thank you”) has been shown to have many benefits for your mental and physical health—from increasing feelings of optimism and hope to strengthening your relationships, boosting immunity, and even improving sleep.
Psychologists find that, over time, feeling grateful improves happiness and promotes both physical and psychological health, even among those already struggling with mental health problems. Studies show that practicing gratitude suppresses the use of words expressing negative emotions and shifts inner attention away from such negative emotions as resentment and envy, minimizing the possibility of ruminating, which is a sign of depression.
Grateful people feel less pain, less stress, suffer less insomnia, have stronger immune systems, experience healthier relationships, and do better academically and professionally. Overall, it can boost both your mental and physical health.
Gratitude also stimulates the hypothalamus to boost serotonin production, which influences mood, appetite, and sleep. Perhaps more importantly, regular gratitude practice changes how your brain’s threat-detection system responds to stress. The amygdala, which drives your fight-or-flight response, becomes less reactive to stressors when gratitude is a consistent habit. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system (the body’s “rest and digest” mode), which lowers cortisol, the primary stress hormone. The end result is a brain that defaults less to anxiety.
Ask yourself what am I grateful for right now? Allow yourself to really experience gratitude. It is practice, not a chore. Start with one thing. Relax and allow the answer to come. This is how gratitude begins.
Following are some gratitude quotes…
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”—Melody Beattie
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”—Zig Ziglar
“Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life.”—Jack Canfield
“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”—Henry David Thoreau
Life is a beautiful gift filled with countless reasons to be thankful. In your journey through its ups and downs, find solace, strength, and inspiration in your faith. Gratitude is a powerful way to connect with your inner self and the divine. Count your blessings, make Thanksgiving last for more than a day. Happy Thanksgiving!
Suzanne, a resident of SaddleBrooke, is an independent writer and speaker representing all faiths, and her focus is inclusivity. Email: spiritualoccasions@outlook.com.