Five Benefits of Gratitude

“So much has been given to me, I have no time to ponder that which has been denied.” – Helen Keller

When I take time to reflect that this quote comes from  a woman who was both blind and deaf, I can’t help but recognize how much I have been given.  According to research done by Robert Emmons, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, gratitude not only improves your attitude, it also improves your health.  Below I have listed 5 ways you can benefit from establishing a gratitude practice.

1. You Will Feel Happier

In a seminal study done by Emmons, participants who recorded one thing daily for which they were grateful over 3 weeks reported being 25% happier a full six months after the study was completed.

2. You Will Have More Energy

Emmons’ research also found that those who regularly wrote in a gratitude journal consistently reported increased vitality.  While we cannot create more time, we can create more energy, and gratitude is a key ingredient in this endeavor.

3. You Will Improve Your Health

A consistent gratitude practice has also been associated with improved kidney function, a stronger heart, plus reduced blood-pressure and stress-hormones. Grateful people also exercise 33% more and sleep an extra half-hour each night compared with those without gratitude rituals.

4. You Will Develop Resilience

When you train yourself to notice kindness and other daily gifts, you wire your brain to seek out the positives in any situation, even those that seem dire.  Gratitude calms the nervous system and rewires the fight/flight/freeze response, which ultimately builds resilience.

5. You Will Enhance Your Relationships

Christine Carter, a sociologist at the University of California’s Greater Good Science Center, notes that gratitude rewires our brains to appreciate the things in our relationships that are going well.  You can’t be grateful and resentful at the same time.  When appreciation is expressed, it triggers a biological response in the recipient’s brain through a surge of the feel-good chemical dopamine.  By expressing gratitude toward a spouse, a colleague, or a friend, you create a cycle of reciprocal gratefulness.

To sum it up, gratitude will make you a healthier, happier person and will not only benefit you, but also everyone with whom you are in relationship.  Gratitude enhances every area of your life.  As author Robin Sharma points out, “Gratitude drives happiness.  Happiness boosts productivity.  Productivity reveals mastery.  And mastery inspires the world.”

- Karla Driskill