Protects you from stressīeing grateful actually helps to lower physical and psychological stress within the mind and body. When faced with an aggressor, grateful people were shown to be less reactive, more caring, and understanding of the other person. Gratitude has been shown to increase empathy and our ability to care about other people. This ability to be content actually improves happiness and long-term well-being. Research has shown that gratitude makes us less materialistic and envious of other people. Like junkies, we keep buying more and more, which drains our pockets and leaves us feeling empty at the end of the day. Pretty quickly, we become mentally and emotionally hooked on the belief that material possessions create happiness. While the temporary burst of dopamine from buying things gives us the illusion that stuff makes us “happy,” that feeling soon wears off. It comes as no surprise that materialism (buying things to make us happy) actually makes us unhappy. Here is what research reveals about gratitude: 1. Scientists, neurologists, and psychologists are all becoming increasingly interested in the field of gratitude. Gratitude is one of those powerful tools that help us to experience the joy we’re constantly longing for.ħ Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude This may sound obvious, but many of us forget that the past and future cannot bring us happiness because they simply do not exist in the present moment. And as you may or may not have learned, the present moment is the ONLY moment we EVER have to find peace and contentment. Gratitude anchors us to the present moment. Gratitude helps us to realize that everything is fine just the way it is, helping us to stop fighting, striving, and chasing happiness – which only makes us more deeply unhappy. In fact, we actually feel gratitude the most powerfully when we manage to be thankful for what we have, despite how imperfect our lives feel. The wonderful thing about being grateful is that it helps us to feel joy and contentment, no matter how messy, flawed or busy our lives look. If you are waiting for your life to be perfect to practice gratitude, you’ll be waiting for a very, very long time. What is perfection anyway? It’s a concept created by the mind, and the mind is very unpredictable, forever seeking more. That being said, your life doesn’t have to be perfect to practice gratitude. Instead, breathe deeply, be mindful, and take care of yourself. Don’t try to plaster them with a gratitude band-aid – it’s just not the right place and time. When you’re feeling stressed, angry or depressed, it’s important that you first be present with these emotions. So this article is definitely not suggesting that you misuse gratitude as a way of escaping your problems or being unrealistic. There is a time and place for everything, and gratitude can easily be used as a way to emotionally or spiritually bypass experiencing the pain that arises in the present moment. I mean, have you ever tried to be grateful in the middle of a breakup, a funeral or a chaotic household? Have you ever tried to feel grateful while you’re depressed and feel like the world is ending? Slowing down and appreciating what is already good about our lives seems to be fanciful, unrealistic, and sometimes just plain hysterical. One of the biggest reasons why we’re so indifferent to being grateful is because we’re such a fast-paced and stressed-out society. Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all of the others – Cicero (106–43BC) Why Your Life Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Practice Gratitude We tend to associate gratitude with control, punishment, and shame (thanks to childhood conditioning) and cheesy rose-colored philosophies (thanks to adult conditioning). So as you can see, gratitude has never really been something we’ve truly, well, been grateful for. For the lost souls who feel lonely and disconnected, this is a profound tool designed to help you overcome your existential depression, explore your Soul Loss, practice Soul Retrieval, and reconnect with your true Spiritual Nature.Īs adults, we see pollyannaish quotes about gratitude floating around feel-good social media channels, with quotes like “There is always, always something to be thankful for” and “Adopt an attitude of gratitude” making us want to cringe.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |