What does gratitude mean to you?
“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” ― G.K. Chesterton
When things are going well it’s easy to take what we have for granted, yet conversely, when times are tough it can be hard to appreciate how much we can still be grateful for. Through highs and lows, whatever the season of the year or our lives, there is always something we can appreciate. For me, even on my worst days, just one look at my doggy, his soft ears, his cute snuffle as he sleeps, and his little butt-wiggle when I come home, is enough to feel loved and grateful.
Giving thanks makes people happier and more resilient, strengthens relationships, improves health, and reduces stress.
Count your blessings….
Research shows that gratitude journaling, noting down specific things you feel thankful for, can be hugely beneficial to your mental health. As part of Sheffield’s Festival of the Mind 2018, researchers from the University of Sheffield explored this more by building a Wall of a Gratitude for people to share some of the things they were most grateful for.
Dr Fuschia Sirois said: “Research has found that taking the time to notice three things to be grateful for each day over a two week period can have beneficial effects for people’s wellbeing that can last for up to six months.
“People who invest time in being more grateful usually enjoy better quality sleep because they have fewer negative sleep-disturbing thoughts before they go to bed and they also experience lower levels of stress and depression, even amongst those who live with painful chronic health conditions.”
Take Notice
Taking in the simple pleasures of the world around you, be it the rain bouncing on the window that makes you grateful for being warm indoors, or the smell of fresh bedding as you climb in bed at the end of a long day, or perhaps a friendly stranger smiling at you on the bus on your way to work.
As I’m writing this, my dog is snuggled beside me, I’m watching the snow gently fall in front of the softly-lit church opposite, and I’ve got a fresh cup of Yorkshire Tea (the best tea… just saying!). Just taking a moment to take note, and note down these simple observations gives me a sense of calm.
Gratitude as a Reflective Tool
Taking a moment or two to appreciate and take note of what is going on around you, what has helped your day be better than it might have been without that moment, help, a kind word, serendipity, whatever you may call it, can truly help you to build resilience and mental strength. Keeping a record to look back on in the harder times, to remind you of how far you have come when the progress seems slow, is also beneficial to maintaining a positive outlook.
So what will you note in your Gratitude Journal today?
