A MOMENT WITH A TIME TO BE THANKFUL

November is National Gratitude Month, a time to celebrate and give thanks.

National Gratitude Month was an initiative introduced by renowned author, Stacey Grewal, who believed that gratitude was an essential ingredient to living a rewarding life. When an individual embraces gratitude, he or she instantly shifts their focus from the negative to the positive things in their lives.

Incidentally, Thanksgiving also occurs in the month of November. Thanksgiving is a day where many people take the time to think about what they are thankful for. Whether it is something they do quietly for themselves or around a table with loved ones, it is a time of year for reflecting on what we are grateful for.

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin root gratia, meaning grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. All derivatives from this Latin root refers to kindness, generousness, gifts, the beauty of giving and receiving or getting something from nothing. This means that the object of gratitude is others-oriented and that gratitude stems from the perception of a positive personal outcome, not necessarily derived or earned, that is due to the actions of another person.

Gratitude is an affirmation of goodness in the world. It results from a two-step cognitive process: Number one, recognizing that one has obtained a positive outcome, and number two, recognizing that there is an external source for this positive outcome.

Please understand that gratitude is more than simply saying “thank you.” The amazing powers of gratitude can shift us from focusing on the negative to appreciating the positive things in our lives. Practicing gratitude daily, gives us a deeper connection to ourselves, the world around us, and to our Creator.

Allow me to say that everything that occurs in our lives can improve when we are grateful. Research has shown that gratitude has the tendency to enhance our moods, decrease stress, and significantly improve our entire measures of health and wellbeing. Typically, grateful individuals tend to develop fewer stress-related illnesses. They experience less depression and lowered blood pressure; they are happier, enjoy a higher income, possess a considerable number of satisfying personal and professional relationships, and are exceedingly admired.

It is important to express thankfulness when something good happens. Being thankful is not inherently bad. It is part of showing appreciation to others for your good fortune. We are thankful when we secure new employment or meet a new friend; however, thankfulness is insufficient to maintain a positive mindset. I think I should inform you that setbacks and other situations or things we are most certainly not thankful for, will always interfere with our thankfulness. Because of this, we must rely on other ways to maintain a positive attitude. One such way is by expressing gratitude. By choosing to pursue gratitude in our lives, we are actively improving our health and well-being.

A study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley suggests that gratitude may be associated with many benefits for individuals, including improved physical and psychological health, increased happiness and life satisfaction, decreased materialism, and more.

Gratitude is about being content physically and mentally with the state of your life. You may not always be happy, but you can nonetheless practice gratitude. In fact, the same study from Berkely asserts that practicing gratitude is not only good for you but also for your relationships.

The study further reveals that gratitude is important to