AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
End the Year in Gratitude and Usher in the New Year with A Gleeful You
Wanna’ Improve Yourself and Your Relationships?
We all know how the past few years have created upheaval and disarray. That doesn’t have to stop you from ending the year with gratitude.
Let’s face it, the holidays can be challenging for many reasons. Instead of allowing your heart to shift into bitterness, why not usher in the holidays and new year celebrations with happiness?
Studies show that having and sharing gratitude can enhance and improve relationships. One of the most important relationships you have is with yourself. So, why not grab onto the happy in “Happy Holidays” and sit in gratitude.
Two professors at Indiana University — Dr. Joel Wong and Dr. Joshua Brown — conducted a study on 300 college students and the effects of gratitude. These students were invited to participate because they pursued on-campus mental health counseling.
Once separated into three groups: 1) one group was asked to write letters of gratitude once a week to someone for three weeks; 2) one group was told to journal their negative life experiences; and 3) and the last group was not given any activity.
Maybe you already know what this study showed them. The results surprised the two doctors. At the end of twelve weeks, the first group exhibited better mental health, which indicated that gratitude letter writing is beneficial for well-adjusted and those struggling with mental health issues.
In fact, they also learned four other things:
1) Gratitude helps you even if you don’t share it with anyone
2) Gratitude breaks the bondage of toxic emotions
3) Has lasting effects on the brain
4) Gratitude benefits take some time
As you refocus your heart in these last few days of the year, think about large and small moments. Gratitude can be for simple things, like clean running water, or big things, like landing your dream job.
When I wake up in the morning, I like to reflect on the day before. If nothing big happened, thinking through the day chronologically helps me take note of small things. Those small things can sometimes be great aha moments for deeper gratitude in my heart.
Gratitude is a word from the medieval Latin “gratitude” or “gratus,” which means pleasing, thankful, grace, or graciousness. It is a gratitude of appreciation for something an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible.
When a person acknowledges the gratefulness in their lives, they are taking notice of the good, and when that acknowledgement occurs consistently, something shifts within them. They notice that it connects them to things bigger than themselves — nature, other people, or a higher power.
Gratitude also connects you to greater happiness, helping you feel happier, more gleeful. You enjoy life and experiences, and consequently have improved health. You are also more patient in challenging situations and can form stronger relationships.
As you take notice of the little and big things in this past year, here are a few reflection questions to help you:
1. What was wonderful? Make a list or write a few words or many words.
2. When did you fail? Did you give your best? Did you let someone down? Did you hurt someone you love? Did you cross a moral line?
3. When did you love? Did you help someone when they didn’t ask? Did you let someone go before you in the grocery or coffee line? Did you buy someone a coffee? Did you offer forgiveness or compassion?
4. Were you able to see the positive and negative?
5. What did not go well? Was there a time(s) that things were challenging? How did you treat yourself? How did you treat others? How did you soothe yourself? What did you learn from that time or times?
As you ponder year end and your answers to the questions above, may you release any lies you picked up along the way. May you wave away any offenses still lingering within you. May you heal and restore as you lay your head to sleep tonight, waking to a new shift in your heart, mind, and soul.
Happy New Year!
May your soul be refreshed.
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