Understanding Gratitude – Counting Your Blessings, Nurturing Your Mind
Gratitude is the act of being thankful, being appreciative of anything that pleases you. Gratitude is a spontaneous feeling; however, the practice of gratitude is consciously allowing yourself to count the blessings you have. In simple words, gratitude is a positive emotion expressing the feelings of appreciation. Imbibing the practice of gratitude in day-to-day life has been seen to improve personal mental health and wellbeing.
HOW CAN BEING GRATEFUL HELP?
Reflection:
When we think of all the things we are grateful for we are reflecting on the corners of our life which we are thankful for. Such reflection is not only on an external level but also has some internal basis to it. An example of this could be asking yourself what is it that I am most grateful for when it comes to the “self”.
Appreciation:
We are living in a world where we often resort to comparisons. Appreciating oneself is a part of self-care and makes one proud of who they are. This could be anything- appreciating your values, the way you handle a situation, or even life in general.
Grass is greener on the other side:
Being grateful can show you the other side of the picture. It gives you a sense of the things you have and makes you focus on them rather than the ones you don’t. This does not mean you have to quit trying. Gratitude is to remind you of your blessings, not your shortcomings.
Makes you humble:
When gratitude is imbibed its emphasis turns more towards values, feelings, and support. Knowing what you have makes you more grounded and humbler as it imbibes a sense of contentment and satisfaction in you.
Mindful:
Gratitude plays an important role in mindfulness practices. When you are mindful, gratitude comes in automatically and vice versa. Being mindful makes you realize the wonder called “life” that you are living under and gives you a sense of what being thankful truly is.
HOW GRATITUDE AFFECTS THE MIND?
Psychologists find gratitude to be an important activity that can be used as a self-reflective tool in therapy. Research proved that gratitude letters that were written by students in therapy had better mental health than those who did not practice gratitude. Here are some ways gratitude and your brain are interconnected:
Reduces toxic emotions:
In research conducted on the effects of positive and negative emotional words, it was seen that people who used the “we” word, used more positive words than those who did not. When gratitude exists, there is a sense of understanding as to what truly matters to us, which increases our positivity.
Patience:
Although gratitude is magical, its effects are slow. There is no doubt that the effects of gratitude are seen only after practicing it for a long time. When we are patient, we have a sense of understanding the importance of “baby steps”.
Everlasting impact:
Research has shown through an experiment where a group of people was asked to pass on some money to a cause given by a “benefactor” if they were grateful. If the person practiced gratitude their brain functioned in a different manner than those with guilt (FMRI results) Gratitude has internal benefits that impact every spectrum of life.
Practicing Guide – How to be Grateful!
5 minute gratitude:
Take out 5-7 minutes of your time, it could be at any time of the day. Sit quietly and close your eyes and have a “mental gratitude session” where you only spend time to think of all the things you are grateful for. This can also include some feelings you experience when you think of these things and how you feel about them and induce positivity into your system.
Gratitude Journal:
One of the most effective methods associated with gratitude is maintaining a gratitude journal. Maintain a journal that is only meant for the positivity of being grateful. Write it whenever you feel happy and thankful. You can write the names of people whom you are grateful for, or the values that you have.
Practice Mindfulness:
As mentioned earlier, mindfulness and gratitude work together. When you are mindful, you are aware of your thoughts, emotions, and surroundings. It automatically induces a sense of gratefulness in you and makes you more appreciative of the endless opportunities that have been provided to you.
Share it:
No! They do not have to belong speeches or fancy words, just a “thank you” will do. You can start off by saying thank you to a shopkeeper or a helper and notice how you feel when you appreciate the people who help you. You can also be thankful for everyone and everything in your life- say it aloud when you wake up and while going to bed. The feeling is priceless!
*DISCLAIMER*
The following content is for information purposes only. We, in no way claim or assure that using the information can be a substitute for any kind of medical treatment if any. If you are diagnosed with any kind of medical/clinical condition please do not avoid visiting a professional.
ABOUT THE TENDER CURVE:
Our purpose is to spread positivity and motivation by focusing on self-love and self-care. We also work towards reducing the stigma around mental health and by creating mental health awareness through our blogs.
People today have forgotten how to be happy; they have forgotten what it is to be inspired what it to be real & motivated. We all are so busy with our daily lives today that we have forgotten to take time out for ourselves. We are here to remind you that you are special in your own ways. We are here to remind you that it’s okay to not finish a task, or meet deadlines, its ok not to be ok! You deserve to be happy, you deserve to smile, you deserve to be cared and loved.
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