Interesting Things To Be Grateful For
Mozell Gentges
Over the last few years, as I have worked through trying to deal with the uncertainty of life, the unpredictability of a career, chaos at work and the complex nature of things, I have come to some realizations that have helped me to keep going and move forward in life.
Interesting Things to be Grateful For
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I am far happier for having made this choice (and grateful that my fiancé was open to it). And I know I found clarity and the strength to act on this, in large part, because I made the effort to change my mental state.
Since being grateful sounds easier to most of us than being happy, this is an exciting idea. This quote from Steindl-Rast is also mentioned in more than one of the following videos, so this talk seemed like a good place to start.
This 13-minute talk from positive psychology and happiness researcher Robert Biswas-Diener approaches gratitude by discussing happiness like Steindl-Rast does in his TED Talk. Biswas-Diener argues that most people try to reach happiness by ascribing it to accomplishing things in the future, rather than looking back at happy moments in their pasts.
This nearly 20-minute talk from a former professional baseball player and current speaker and author Mike Robbins focuses on gratitude in the workplace. In the talk, Robbins discusses the difference between recognition and appreciation and argues that appreciating employees for who they are rather than the things they do leads to better results for everyone.
By the end of the talk, Achor has laid out a plan for everyone to rewire their brains to recognize the positive before the negative, starting with recognizing things they are grateful for. This funny, actionable talk is a must-watch.
This video is an excellent way to show how gratitude can influence both the person who is feeling grateful as well as the recipient of that gratitude. Just about anyone can feel good about watching this video which visually demonstrates the power of gratitude.
This 5-minute video is another exploration of the psychological findings of gratitude and happiness. The video focused on a daily journal and had participants either write down things they were grateful for, things that annoyed them, or whatever they felt like writing about.
They found that, as research would indicate, those who wrote down things they were grateful for had higher levels of wellbeing. This short, accessible video is an excellent demonstration of how gratefulness relates to happiness.
One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
Other studies have looked at how being grateful can improve relationships. For example, a study of couples found that individuals who took time to express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person, but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationship.
Meditate. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as "peace"), it is also possible to focus on what you're grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).
It can be too easy at times to focus on the things that go wrong rather than the things that go right for us. And that can be especially difficult for still-developing brains. Practicing an attitude of gratitude is a skill that students can be taught. Focusing on the things we are grateful for in our lives can help enhance our mood. A regular gratitude practice can also have benefits for physical health that lead to better sleep and enhance immunity. There is no better time than now to work on gratitude with your students since we are heading into the Thanksgiving season. Whether you are in the mood for a game, an activity, or a craft project, there is something for everyone on our list of meaningful gratitude activities for kids of all ages.
Yoga is a great tool to teach kids mindfulness while still being a lot of fun. Cosmic Kids Yoga videos are some of the best out there. A regular yoga practice can teach kids (and adults) to be grateful for the things they have in their lives.
This is such a great way to create a kind and inclusive classroom while also teaching students to be grateful for the things that make them and their classmates special. Have kids sit in a circle with their legs out straight and then choose one student to begin by giving a classmate a compliment. Once a student has received a compliment, they sit crisscross applesauce so that others can see who is still left to compliment.
Encourage students to take a nature walk to appreciate all of the beautiful and amazing things around us that we often take for granted. Take it a step further and have them journal about their experience.
Teaching kids the power of giving back can also help them appreciate the things they have. Regardless of whether you are collecting school supplies or taking donations of winter hats and gloves, kids will learn how good it feels to give to those in need.
Teaching kids to be grateful also teaches kids not to be entitled. Gratitude activities for middle school can involve them taking on more responsibility both at home and in the classroom. Have them keep a chore chart at home that they return at the end of the month.
Being aware of the things that you are grateful for may actually help you to achieve your dreams and goals. A 2003 study found that the participants who kept a gratitude journal reported higher levels of enthusiasm, determination, energy, and alertness. When you start being thankful, you notice every small bit of progress that you make, which helps to motivate you to keep going.
Lots of studies have found a link between gratitude and higher levels of self-esteem. Some studies found that being grateful reduces social comparisons, so you are more likely to be happy in yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. Instead of feeling jealous of other successful people, focus on your own achievements and successes so that you can have a happier life.
One approach to cultivating happiness is keeping expressing your gratitude in everyday life by writing gratitude letters (that never need to be sent) to people you feel grateful for in your everyday life.
And of course, various studies have found that being grateful at work helps us find mentors and leads us one step closer to achieving our career goals.
Feeling unappreciated and overwhelmed by everyday difficulties can get us down in the dumps, but good things are always around us if we take the time to look for them. Gratitude can help bring those good things into focus and boost our spirits!
Studies have found that those who are more spiritually enlightened are more likely to exhibit feelings of gratitude; conversely, being grateful can bring a person closer to their religious beliefs.
For starters, grateful people tend to get better quality of sleep, which is incredibly important for health maintenance. On top of that, gratitude has been associated with overall increased health and vitality. Studies suggest that people who experience and express gratitude may even live longer lives!
Those who are more grateful have a better-developed skillset for bouncing back from negative emotions such as depression, anxiety or loneliness much quicker than those without the same level of appreciation.
Research has found that while in a grateful state we are more apt to transform neutral and even negative memories into something uplifting. For example, in one study participants with unfinished memories were more likely to remember the promising elements of those experiences rather than just the gloomy ones.
Whether you choose to take a few moments to reflect on something you are grateful for before heading out the door every morning or end your day by jotting down five things you are thankful for in a journal, incorporating gratitude into your life can help lead to a happier, healthier and more successful version of yourself.
Furthermore, allowing yourself the opportunity to be grateful can foster increased self-esteem that ultimately directs us away from negative thought cycles and towards positivity.
You had convinced me with the first paragraph! but I now have every possible angle to reflect on when I try to sabotage myself by not feeling grateful. No more excuses thanks to you. I have just thought of another entry for my gratitude journal; I am grateful for happierhuman.com ?
Amit,
A very good and incisive piece. Do one thing for me please. I think God will appreciate it if you appreciate Him by accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I am not asking you to be religious but to enter a personal relationship with the Almighty God, The creator of all things. Your life of GRATITUDE will be complete if you do.
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