Notes
It became clear upon reading multiple books that gratitude and overall well-being go together like peanut butter and jelly. Being grateful provides multiple benefits to our overall health.
It brings us joy.
In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown writes a whole chapter on gratitude and how it’s inextricably linked to feeling joy. Her studies revealed that the most joyful people actively practiced gratitude. But what does “practicing” gratitude actually look like? Brene says, “Gratitude without practice is like faith without works- it’s not fully alive.” Like other healthy habits, we must practice putting it into place. It’s not enough to simply have the knowledge of gratitude because it doesn’t translate into behavior.
It diminishes jealousy, hate, and other “low vibrational” feelings.
My current read is an awesome book called Good Vibes Only by Vex King. He also mentions gratitude in his work within the section about “Self Improvement Tactics”. His theory is that when we feel gratitude, it actively pushes out other emotions like jealousy or hate. If we’re feeling grateful for what we have, we can’t harbour ill feelings towards others. Vex also believes gratitude is an essential component to happiness. “It gains us a vibrational state where more good comes to us, it creates perspective, and creates an inner culture of appreciation for ourselves and our lives.”
It gives us a better future.
Podcasts are also a huge part of my self-love education. In The Happiness Lab, Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos, shares the latest scientific research on happiness. One of her episodes titled “Grateful Expectations” explores the concept of gratitude and how it serves our “future selves” and our long term goals in life. Gratitude instills behaviors of self control, exercising, eating better, and sleeping – all of which contribute to benefitting the versions of us in the future. We are happier and healthier with it.
Reflections
When I began my self discovery journey there was one theme that constantly resurfaced no matter which source I was referencing: gratitude. Multiple sources revealed that we can be happier by harnessing the power of being grateful. I took this as good news since I’d believed this was something I had already cultivated in my life. If I’m aware of the fact that I have luxuries other people don’t then gratitude is already a part of my life, right?
Wrong. You may think that gratefulness is something you naturally possess… but unless it’s a part of your daily routine, it’s likely you aren’t tapping into this boundless, totally free resource.
The problem is, society has created a culture in which we’re constantly reminded of all the things we don’t possess. Advertisements, social media, and TV entertainment continually reinforce this idea in our daily routine. So it’s clear that we’ll need to work hard and practice bringing gratitude into our lives to help balance out what we consume. Gratitude practice can look like keeping journals, meditation or yoga, creating art, or just stopping daily to recognize it.
Over time, gratitude will begin to change the lens in which you view your life. It becomes a beautiful habit that will bring long term positive effects. Being grateful benefits not only you, but all the people in the world around you. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.
