Welcome to Day 3:
The Awesome, Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude
Good morning!
How are you feeling today?
Perhaps looking forward to your day and a feeling a bit happier?
Did you like that Lean Into Gratitude exercise from yesterday – the notes to your friends and family?
How did your friends/family respond? Were they happy too?
I wonder if they paid it forward and shared their gratitude with someone else.
I’m traveling out of state and am sitting in Starbucks as I write this.
Crooner music is playing and Sinatra and Dean Martin are singing.
Oops – I just shed a few happy tears because Tony Bennett just came on singing “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”. I love the Bay Area – Sausalito and San Francisco the most!
I miss home… and feel very grateful to be traveling and visiting family too!
The Awesome, Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude
Did you have any idea that gratitude has so many scientifically proven benefits?
Gratitude Actually Changes The Molecular Structure of Your Brain and Alters Your Heart!
Studies from the NIH, UCLA, UC Berkeley, The Greater Good Science Center and other places show that gratitude actually changes the molecular structure of your brain and alters your heart.
This is just how strong the power of gratitude is.
In many ways, this reminds me of the research on the power of our words to affect the growth and health of our plants.
A former CIA agent proved this accidentally and then years of research revealed he was correct. Even our plants respond to praise and thanks by growing faster and taller!
According to UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, when you feel happiness and gratitude, your central nervous system is calmed.
You’re more peaceful, and far less reactive.
Here Are the 5 Primary Areas of Your Life That Gratitude Improves
1. Gratitude Improves Your Health
Numerous studies show a significant link between an attitude of gratitude and good health.
Gratitude inspires relaxation, calmness and happiness. It actually makes people less depressed according to Wong and Brown. (2017)
Here’s how: gratitude allows us to focus on the good and improves our overall mental health.
You can actually train your brain and mind to be more grateful by writing in your gratitude journal.
Check in with yourself and if you are feeling anxious or nervous about anything, stop, take a breath and grab your gratitude journal.
Find 3 things to be grateful for.
If you are upset with someone, write down 5 things you actually like about them.
Serotonin and Dopamine Abound When You Practice Gratitude
The research says that happy brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine abound when you are grateful!
See why gratitude reduces stress and anxiety?
You’re focusing on the positive in your life, so you’re more mellow.
More Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Gratitude
Improved sleep
More resilience
Better overall well-being
Decreased pain
Better ability to cope with grief
Improved energy
Healthier eating
More happiness
Improved heart rhythms – One recent study from UCLA in California found that people who display gratitude have better hearth health, less inflammation and every better heart rhythms.
Disease prevention – there are over 100 studies showing a strong link between positive emotions and the prevention of medical conditions, including heart disease and cancer
Just in case you’d like to see several of the research citations, I’ve included them here:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/application_uploads/Wood-GratitudeSleep.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010965/
https://positivepsychology.com/neuroscience-of-gratitude/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2692821/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
2. Gratitude Improves Your Relationships
Many relationships end when people feel they are being taken for granted.
They are also strained when people in relationships feel criticized.
Gratitude and the expression of regular thanks for another person keeps people together and helps strengthen their relationship.
No matter who you are in any type of relationship with, start expressing your gratitude for the other person now – and do this more often.
Be sure to tell the person why you are grateful for them as this deepens the gratitude for them and for you.
3. Gratitude Improves Your Work Whether You Are an Employee or An Entrepreneur
Did you know that your productivity increases when you keep track of what you’re grateful for at work?
Gratitude also helps you put things in perspective at work, especially during times of constructive criticism, and makes you more likely to climb the corporate ladder.
Studies show that people who are practice gratitude and write in a gratitude journal, take fewer sick days. (https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190313091929.htm)
Managers who praise their employees will find them staying longer and working harder.
If you’re an entrepreneur, gratitude will help you make smarter decisions and build a stronger network of people who support you.
Actually, writing in a gratitude journal for just a few minutes a day, can make you more successful in anything you do. So why not start now?
4. Gratitude Improves Your Personality
Grateful people are more grounded and relatable. Actually, in business, grateful people put people over profits and everyone benefits.
5. Gratitude Improves Your Emotional Well-Being
People who are more grateful are more resilient and bounce back much better during really stressful times.
They also have a strong network of people around them who can help them get stronger after a crisis has passed.
As you can see, gratitude has so many benefits, it’s hard to imagine life without it.
Lean Into Gratitude Exercise:
Today, write in your gratitude journal three things about your health you are grateful for.
It could be as simple as being thankful for your eyesight or your hands! How about your lungs?
Imagine how great your life is with your good health.
As I write this, I’m deeply grateful for the ability to keyboard to be able to share these powerful benefits of gratitude!
Today’s Recommended Gratitude Resources
Do you ever feel grateful for your intuition? Well, here’s a free ebook about Tapping Into the Power of Your Intuition and all of the benefits that go with that!
Here’s an article about even more health benefits of gratitude:
I also want to share a fun picture with my kids.
This was from a 5K race to help feed the homeless.
I am so grateful because we got to run along the Pacific Ocean in the cool morning and look at the ocean for the whole run.
I thought it might be fun to share a picture with you during the course and I’d love it if you want to share some too.
We can connect a bit more.
Just email me and share in them why you’re grateful for whatever is in the picture and then we’ll share them with our gratitude community if you give us your permission.
You can email me at oneminutejournals (at) gmail.com
See you tomorrow for our final day of Create Your Best Life With Gratitude!
In gratitude,
Pat
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