Gratitude is the simple act of being thankful and is a really effective tool to improve your mental wellbeing. The state of your mental wellbeing has a huge impact on your quality of life and your overall happiness but unfortunately, it is something most of us neglect to take care of. By practising gratitude daily and nurturing your mental wellbeing you can change not only your day but your life too. Here are 5 reasons why you should start gratitude today!
Change your perspective
By regularly reflecting on your day and the moments you are thankful for, you will naturally begin to change your perspective and begin to look for the positive moments in your day instead of dwelling on the negatives. Changing your perspective and creating a positive mindset is key to improving your self-esteem and stopping negative self-talk which can be detrimental to one’s mental wellbeing.
For tips to create a positive mindset and stop negative self-talk check out our resources page
Increase your happiness
Negative thinking is the biggest obstacle we face in increasing our happiness. By practising gratitude, you will distract yourself from negative thoughts and counteract the anxiety or unhappy feelings with a positive thought. Naturally as you begin to view things as ‘the glass is half full’, you will focus on what makes you happy more and have less time for negative self-talk.
Improved Health
Research has shown those who practise gratitude regularly are likely to exercise more, have fewer physical symptoms, and generally be more optimistic than those who do not practise gratitude. It has also been proven that positive emotions undo the effects of anxiety by lowering the heart rate and muscle tension.
Read Happify’s ‘5 scientific facts that prove gratitude is good for you’ to learn more
Feel better about your life
As you regularly practice gratitude, regularly being the keyword, you will also create an appreciation for the things in your life that make you happy because you are being thankful for these things often. By reflecting on these areas of your life that bring you happiness, the not so great parts of your day do not appear to be as much of a big deal as they used to be, as you are no longer dwelling on the negatives.
Build stronger relationships
We’ve all heard the saying your ‘vibe attracts your tribe’ but did you know there is science behind this? Research has proven that emotions are contagious and can be passed on to those around you and vice versa. So, if you are suddenly happier because you are practising gratitude this will have a flow on affect to those around you who will also feel more joy when they are close to you.
Check out The Happiness Lab’s podcast ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’ to learn more about emotional contagion
Gratitude is a simple and really effective tool to improve your mental wellbeing. You can practise daily gratitude by setting aside 10-20 minutes of your day to journal, or create a gratitude jar and pop in notes of things you are grateful for as they come to you, or if you really are time poor just say aloud the things you are grateful for in the shower or on the drive to work. There are many ways to practice gratitude and even more benefits when regularly done. Start nurturing your mental wellbeing and see the gratitude benefits that can change your life, today.