Practising gratitude can create an appreciation for life that you never knew you could have.
There is now even scientific proof supporting a gratitude practice showing people become more forgiving, loving, and more optimistic about the future, which in turn creates a ripple effect into the body helping prevent illness and disease.
Your thoughts and emotions can shape your life and how you physically feel.
By saying thank you and showing an appreciation for all the things you do have, rather than what you don’t have can instantly lift your mood, creating feel good hormones in the body.
Robert A. Emmons (Ph.D.) is a leading gratitude researcher. He states that gratitude can help with depression and is a proven way to leave you feeling happier, healthier and psychologically it can help by dissolving emotions that don’t serve you well such as resentment, regret or frustration.
Personally, while suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome I spiralled into a deep depression. My inability to get out of bed and do anything for myself for eight months was shattering, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Everything that I had grown accustomed to was stripped away from me. I lost who I was as I used to attach my self- worth to my job, my things, my achievements and I could not even wash my own hair, could not cook and talking and going to the bathroom were difficult.
I was left feeling helpless wanting to end my life at times. It was at this stage that I read about the art of gratitude and thought I would give it a try as I had nothing to lose.
I started keeping a gratitude journal and each day I would write down three things that I was grateful for. I started with the sunlight on my face, my warm bed during cold nights, an amazing home cooked meal, my dog, sinking my feet into green grass and many other small, simple pleasures that we take for granted in our busy lives.
I soon realised that despite my limited abilities, I was blessed to have love, support and comfort around me each and every day.
Keeping a gratitude journal helped me find light in my darkest hours and I still keep a gratitude journal to this day when I am feeling stuck or down as it helps me find the beauty in my life at the time.
Why not give it a try? Each day, write down three things you are grateful for. Keep your writing in a special place such as a journal or nice note pad.
This way you can look back and reflect on all the blessings that you have in your life that you might take for granted. I guarantee you will soon find more happiness creeping into your life day by day!
What are you grateful for today?
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