Does Being More Grateful Make You Happier?
Learn how practising gratitude can improve your mental health
There’s an abundance of research and scientific evidence demonstrating the connection between gratitude and the positive impact it has on our mental health and wellbeing.
Our brains are powerful organs and we can work to reprogram our thinking, turning a negative mindset into a positive one.
Gratitude is so simple, yet many people don’t practice it to reap the benefits.
Learn how practising gratitude can improve your life and boost your mood and mindset.
The meaning of gratitude
Gratitude means being thankful and grateful for things in your life. It’s a feeling of appreciation and recognition when you are pleased by what you have achieved or received.
Benefits of practising gratitude
Feelings of gratitude can have a powerful impact on your brain. When you practice gratitude, you activate a part of brain that triggers the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter responsible for making you feel good, blissful and motivated.
Daily gratitude can:
- Enhance your overall health and wellbeing
- Strengthen your relationships
- Improve sleep quality
- Boost your self-esteem
- Reduce stress, anxiety and depression
- Release toxic emotions and instill empathy
- Make you more positive and optimistic
How to practice gratitude
To practice gratitude effectively, you need to tap into the emotion of appreciation and understand why you’re grateful. Cultivate a “gratitude attitude” where you make a habit of expressing thankfulness and appreciation daily, being thankful for all the things in your life, no matter how small.
Over time, gratitude will become second nature to you and form part of your natural thought process. By concentrating on what you do have, as opposed to what you lack, puts you into positive mindset and attracts more things for which you can be grateful.
Try this exercise:
Spend a few minutes each day writing down the following:
“I am grateful for… (fill in the blank) because… (reason why you are grateful)”.
Repeat this sentence 7 times so by the end of the exercise, you have a list of 7 things in your life you’re grateful for.
Super simple and super effective!
A happier, more abundant you
Being thankful for all the good things in your life, no matter how small, can lead to a happier, more abundant life. By appreciating what you do have as opposed to what you lack can boost your mood and reduce anxiety. Practice daily gratitude for a healthier and happier you.
