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Abstract

are able to be thankful in the current moment no matter how imperfect our lives feel.</p><p id="f275">It helps us to be content and anchors us to the present moment instead of fighting and chasing happiness which only makes us more miserable.</p><h1 id="a4e4">Reasons to practice gratitude</h1><p id="2d95">Scientists, neurologists, and psychologists are all acknowledging the immense benefits of gratitude in our lives. Here are some benefits of gratitude:</p><h2 id="afe7">1. You become content with what you already have</h2><p id="29fe"><a href="http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/The%20Grateful%20Disposition_JPSP.pdf">Research</a> has shown that gratitude makes us less materialistic and envious of other people. This ability to be content actually improves happiness and long-term well-being.</p><p id="cee6">Materialism, buying things that are supposed to make us happy, actually makes us feel worse later on. While the temporary rush makes us happy, it wears off sooner than later.</p><p id="8167">We somehow believe that material possessions and physical appearance create happiness so we buy more and more which only drains our pockets leaving us feeling even more empty.</p><h2 id="f202">2. Gratitude keeps the stress away</h2><p id="ecc9">Being grateful helps to <a href="http://local.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/gratitude/Is%20Gratitude%20a%20Moral%20Affect.pdf">lower</a> physical and psychological stress within the mind and body.</p><p id="9b54">Gratitude helps calm the body and mind. When we are grateful, we are better able to handle stress and adversity.</p><h2 id="c6ab">3. Helps you sleep more soundly</h2><p id="024e">Gratitude helps you to sleep better. A <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1359105315572455">study</a> found that gratitude helps to increase the depth and length of sleep.</p><p id="bba6">Gratitude leads to better sleep quality and longer sleep duration. It leads to a more productive day and reduces grumpiness and daytime behavioral dysfunctions.</p><h2 id="68af">4. It makes you spiritually strong</h2><p id="21a0">Expressing gratitude makes us feel loved, cared for, and spiritually connected with ourselves, others, and the universe as a whole.</p><p id="26f6">Gratitude builds and strengthens our sense of spirituality, which increases our sense of inner well-being.</p><h2 id="82f8">5. More fulfilling

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relationships</h2><p id="bb49">Being grateful for the people we love and care for promotes a sense of belonging and connectedness.</p><p id="e494">Gratitude <a href="http://local.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/The%20Grateful%20Disposition_JPSP.pdf">increases</a> empathy and our ability to care about other people. When faced with an aggressive person, grateful people were shown to be <a href="http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Papers/Positive%20Responses%20to%20Benefit%20and%20%20%20%20%20%20Harm_JCP_20_06_print.pdf">less reactive</a>, more caring, and understanding of the other person.</p><p id="da76">By finding something to be grateful for, we can overcome issues such as anger and resentment in ourselves and others.</p><h1 id="bb18">How to practice being grateful</h1><p id="ee3f">Knowing the benefits of being grateful, how do we practice it? Here are some ways:</p><ol><li>Find one thing to be grateful for every morning. It can be the soft rug your feet touch when you get out of bed or your morning coffee or breakfast.</li><li>Keep a gratitude journal and list everything you’re grateful for. Be sincerely thankful that you have them. List your good health, your family, your job and financial security, your pet, the weather, your good mood, and the fresh breeze.</li><li>Practice mindfulness. Notice the small, insignificant things you usually take for granted. Be thankful that they exist and that you can enjoy them.</li><li>If you’re open-minded, say a prayer of gratitude. Prayer is a powerful way to experience gratitude. Pray to whatever you believe in and say your prayers from the heart.</li><li>Meditate on something or someone you love. Feel your heart expand as you say “thank you.”</li></ol><h1 id="462b">Final Thoughts</h1><p id="21e0">Gratitude is a much better feeling than complaining and whining for what you don’t have.</p><p id="6c1f">Even if life is crazy at the moment or you have a pessimistic personality, you can still cultivate gratitude.</p><p id="52a2">You don’t have to turn into a cheesy, annoying optimist but after practice, you will find yourself becoming more satisfied and appreciative of life.</p><p id="0b62">I can’t express how much gratitude has helped me to find peace and fulfillment in my life, despite the uncertainties. I hope this can help you to experience the same lightness of being too.</p></article></body>

Gratitude Is a Magnet For Miracles

Life doesn’t have to be perfect to have a grateful heart

Many of us roll our eyes when we hear “there is always something to be grateful for or count your blessings”. It kinda makes us want to cringe.

We are a fast-paced, stressed-out world, and slowing down to appreciate the good things in our lives seems unrealistic.

How can one be grateful when we are battling diseases? How can one be grateful in the middle of chaos, breakups, and funerals?

How can one be grateful when they are battling depression and anxiety? It's hard to be grateful when it feels like the world is going to end at any minute.

Gratitude can also be easily used as a way to spiritually bypass and avoid dealing with the pain we currently feel. I am not encouraging the use of gratitude to avoid facing your problems.

When you’re feeling stressed, angry, or depressed, it’s important that you first be present with these emotions. Gratitude can come later.

But have you ever had a time in your life when everything is just going great, and you’re so happy and grateful for all of it? Your heart is so full and wonderful things keep coming your way?

Being thankful brings miracles, but the only way to test this hypothesis is to try being grateful when life kinda sucks.

Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be grateful. Perfection is a concept created by the mind, and the mind is always wanting more. If we wait for everything to be perfect before practicing gratitude, we might wait for decades.

Gratitude helps us to feel peace and joy no matter how messy our lives look.

Gratitude is felt more powerfully when we are able to be thankful in the current moment no matter how imperfect our lives feel.

It helps us to be content and anchors us to the present moment instead of fighting and chasing happiness which only makes us more miserable.

Reasons to practice gratitude

Scientists, neurologists, and psychologists are all acknowledging the immense benefits of gratitude in our lives. Here are some benefits of gratitude:

1. You become content with what you already have

Research has shown that gratitude makes us less materialistic and envious of other people. This ability to be content actually improves happiness and long-term well-being.

Materialism, buying things that are supposed to make us happy, actually makes us feel worse later on. While the temporary rush makes us happy, it wears off sooner than later.

We somehow believe that material possessions and physical appearance create happiness so we buy more and more which only drains our pockets leaving us feeling even more empty.

2. Gratitude keeps the stress away

Being grateful helps to lower physical and psychological stress within the mind and body.

Gratitude helps calm the body and mind. When we are grateful, we are better able to handle stress and adversity.

3. Helps you sleep more soundly

Gratitude helps you to sleep better. A study found that gratitude helps to increase the depth and length of sleep.

Gratitude leads to better sleep quality and longer sleep duration. It leads to a more productive day and reduces grumpiness and daytime behavioral dysfunctions.

4. It makes you spiritually strong

Expressing gratitude makes us feel loved, cared for, and spiritually connected with ourselves, others, and the universe as a whole.

Gratitude builds and strengthens our sense of spirituality, which increases our sense of inner well-being.

5. More fulfilling relationships

Being grateful for the people we love and care for promotes a sense of belonging and connectedness.

Gratitude increases empathy and our ability to care about other people. When faced with an aggressive person, grateful people were shown to be less reactive, more caring, and understanding of the other person.

By finding something to be grateful for, we can overcome issues such as anger and resentment in ourselves and others.

How to practice being grateful

Knowing the benefits of being grateful, how do we practice it? Here are some ways:

Find one thing to be grateful for every morning. It can be the soft rug your feet touch when you get out of bed or your morning coffee or breakfast.
Keep a gratitude journal and list everything you’re grateful for. Be sincerely thankful that you have them. List your good health, your family, your job and financial security, your pet, the weather, your good mood, and the fresh breeze.
Practice mindfulness. Notice the small, insignificant things you usually take for granted. Be thankful that they exist and that you can enjoy them.
If you’re open-minded, say a prayer of gratitude. Prayer is a powerful way to experience gratitude. Pray to whatever you believe in and say your prayers from the heart.
Meditate on something or someone you love. Feel your heart expand as you say “thank you.”

Final Thoughts

Gratitude is a much better feeling than complaining and whining for what you don’t have.

Even if life is crazy at the moment or you have a pessimistic personality, you can still cultivate gratitude.

You don’t have to turn into a cheesy, annoying optimist but after practice, you will find yourself becoming more satisfied and appreciative of life.

I can’t express how much gratitude has helped me to find peace and fulfillment in my life, despite the uncertainties. I hope this can help you to experience the same lightness of being too.