It's Thankful Season! It's beginning to look a lot like the holidays! Friends and family gather around, visiting, eating scrumptious food, and napping. Ok, well maybe it's just weird uncle Phil that takes a nap. Either way, with Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about gratitude. After all, should we only be grateful around the holiday's? The Benefits of Gratitude, As Told By SCIENCE! There are quite a few scientifically proven benefits to regular gratitude. I'll list just a few here for your benefit. 1. Gratitude opens the way for more relationships. According to a 2014 study, expressing gratitude by saying "thank you" made acquaintances more likely to seek a longer term friendship. So thanking people for things actually makes you more likable, and makes them want to know you better. 2. Gratitude can improve your physical health. In numerous studies it has been shown that grateful people generally feel physically better than ungrateful people. The feel less aches and pains, and gratitude can even increase your longevity. Grateful people also tend to work out more and take better care of their bodies. 3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces negative emotions like anger, regret, and sadness. It can also trigger positive emotions like thankfulness(duh), happiness, and pleasure. The combination of reducing negative emotions and triggering positive ones has an immediate positive effect on your psyche. It also can reduce depression. 4. Gratitude reduces aggression and increases empathy. According to a 2012 study, people who were grateful were less likely to retaliate, even when someone was being aggressive toward them. Grateful people were also proven to care more about others and didn't seek revenge. 5. Gratitude improves sleep. When you are grateful, your mind is more at rest and can sleep better. Simply being grateful before bed can improve the quality of your sleep immediately. 6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. In a 2014 study, it was found that gratitude improved athletes self-esteem and improved their optimal performance. Gratitude also reduces social comparison, which means you aren't comparing yourself to others near as much. 7. Gratitude increases mental strength. Studies have shown that gratitude can reduce the effects of PTSD, and help toward the permanent healing of those affected. It has also been shown that gratitude increases resilience, a trait many people lack. A Daily Thanksgiving Exercise The benefits of gratitude are overwhelmingly clear. So what can you do to practice gratitude daily? Here is a very simple exercise that I personally do daily. I hope you'll try it too! 1. Set aside a time in the morning right after you wake up, and in the evening right before you go to sleep.
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Welcome to The Writers Block!AuthorKen Mears is a new 17 year old author, here to share his wisdom, advice, and experiences with you, the reader! Archives
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