Why Cultivate Gratitude?

Gratitude is an attitude that can have far reaching effects on our physical and mental health.

There are hundreds of studies that tell us if we have a ‘grateful’ disposition we benefit both physically and psychologically. The most accessible way to cultivate gratitude is by keeping a ‘gratitude journal’. I have dipped in out of keeping a journal for several years now but when we went into our second lockdown last November, I started and have kept one in earnest ever since. At the time, I wasn’t feeling particularly ‘grateful’ for anything!

We all have our stories that have dragged us down both mentally and physically and sometimes we can find ourselves in situations that seem too hard to bear. We can begin to lose sight of what is special and what ultimately can make life not just worth living but makes life wonderful. A study of 1000 people (age 8 -80yrs) by Robert Emmons showed that by keeping a Gratitude Journal for just 3 weeks a host of benefits was reported. These included:

Physical

Stronger immune system

Less bothered by aches and pains

Lower blood pressure

Took more exercise and better care of themselves

Better sleep patterns

Psychological

Felt more positive and less anxious

More alert

Happier

Increased feelings of optimism

Social

More helpful and compassionate to others

More forgiving

More outgoing

Less lonely

How does this work?

By keeping a ‘gratitude journal’ and regularly recording the things that make you happy you are affirming there is goodness in the in the world.

Sometimes, I may note that I am grateful for the roof over my head, the sun in the sky, my family and the food that I eat. The list can be long or short but by noting the positive, we block toxic, negative emotions. This works by the simple fact that we cannot feel angry, resentful, envious, and/or ungrateful when we are feeling grateful.

We benefit in the physical sense as well because it has been shown that grateful people are more resistant to stress. Studies have shown that in the face of serious trauma, adversity and suffering those of us who have high levels of gratitude recover more quickly. Perhaps because there is that deep understanding that life goes on. Self-efficacy plays a role in this as well. This is that idea that we can cope with whatever life throws at us. Gratitude for what we have allows us to stop thinking we have to control everything around us because we are happy with how things are (or at least part of it!).

Our experiences of this past year has tested many of us and have affected us in ways that we may not even be aware of. Being able to see things from a different perspective allows us to not dwell in the negative (a propensity that we Humans are prone to do).

Mother Theresa talked about how grateful she was to the people she was helping in the slums of Calcutta. They helped her deepen her spirituality and feel closer to God.

Whatever we encounter, whatever lives we lead and whatever our day brings to us, our attitude is key. Why cultivate gratitude? Why not?

May 2021