AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Improve your happiness one “thank you” at a time ... By Deb Wuethrich Simply Hers Magazine
If you could increase your happiness level by 25 percent, would you do it? What if you could have a higher level of personal satisfaction in life, increased vitality and optimism — simply by practicing gratitude? The benefits of practicing gratitude are not new discoveries. Gratitude is considered a virtue in Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu thought, and philosophers have studied the topic for centuries. Some recent studies, however, have brought the subject into the scientific realm. A study at the University of California/Davis by Robert Emmons and Michael E. McCullough at the University of Miami demonstrated that there are definite health benefits to counting your blessings. Results suggest that a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits, including helping people become more connected to others, exhibiting a notable increase in helping others, and experiencing better health. In the study, students journaled things they were grateful for throughout the week, or hassles they had encountered. The interesting thing is they didn’t have to be thankful for big things, or even tangible ones, to ultimately improve their moods or sense of well-being. Some wrote of being grateful for being alive, of seeing a sunset through the clouds, and of the generosity of friends. Emmons also conducted a third study, just to make sure that the theory carried over beyond the young college-aged test subjects. He studied individuals who had neuromuscular conditions. Surprisingly, those who kept gratitude journals were more satisfied with their lives overall, more optimistic about the coming week and slept better. “The regular practice of grateful thinking, then, should lead to enhanced psychological and social functioning,” Emmons wrote in a professional journal. Researchers at the University of Connecticut even found that gratitude can have a positive effect against having a heart attack. Two other studies revealed that gratitude is also likely to build and strengthen a sense of spirituality, given the strong historical association between gratitude and religion. University of Michigan researcher Neal Krause found that older individuals who have faith in God and a belief that he strengthens individuals in adversity are better equipped to cope with stress.
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Gratitude is not the same as indebtedness, which occurs when a person perceives they are under obligation to make repayment.
One study at George Mason University noted that women tend to be more grateful than men. Lead investigator Todd Kashdan said that may be because men are generally taught to control and conceal their softer emotions. The good news is a 2011 study at Eastern Washington University has had better results, and notes that modern man may have managed to overcome his instincts, giving himself some opportunities to enjoy gratitude related feelings. So how do you practice gratitude? Keeping a gratitude journal is one way — just regularly writing down what you are grateful for in a notebook. Another means is to send notes of encouragement or gratitude to others who are important to you. Tecumseh resident Cassie Hollenbeck has been doing that for 30 years. “I’ve been a big contributor to keeping the post office in business and put something in the mail to someone almost daily,” she confesses. “It started with a journal that was written for me and given to me by a boyfriend back in high school, and the affirmation meant a lot to me.” Hollenbeck said she remembers her pastor once saying that if you want to express gratitude, do so in the first 72 hours of when you first feel it or you will most likely forget to do it. She taught her children to write handwritten thank you notes very early, before they played with or used the gift. “I have realized that the written word still lifts spirits and brings happiness to others, especially when the recipients may be feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders,” she said. A third way to practice gratitude is to write letters to family members and friends, outlining why you appreciate them. Hollenbeck has also practiced a version of this, through an annual letter to each of her children so they could have a record of the many things their family had to be thankful for in each chapter of their lives. Despite the studies that show men are less likely to feel gratitude than men, Hollenbeck had a delightful surprise when her son, Jake, moved 2,000 miles away for a time. “He wrote me a letter of gratitude,” she said. “That letter remains an inspiration and gift to me. You just never know when it will be too late to say what your heart is feeling. I encourage everyone to do it now. You’ll be thankful you did.”