What is Gratitude?

Can gratitude practices enhance your health? Yes! According to a growing body of research, gratitude is a mindful practice that produces healing hormones in the body. By showing love and peace to others and yourself, you can improve your overall health. Scientific studies have found various health benefits for gratitude. It’s said that gratitude practices can positively impact your physical and emotional well being by relieving depression, improving your ability to cope with stress, boosting your immune system, and giving you a more optimistic life view. Gratitude practices can also “resets your thermostat and you instantly focus on what is important in your life.”

Besides the health benefits, gratitude is also just a great virtue to cultivate. As the Roman philosopher and politician, Marcus Tullius Cicero has said, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” Gratitude is an enduring quality that gives you strength in your daily life.

Begin your gratitude practices today! Listed below are a few Mindful suggestions to keep in mind.

• Waking up. Tired of waking up on the wrong side of the bed? Make a mindful change and start off each and every day with a little gratitude instead. As you lay in bed, open your eyes, take a deep breath, and slowly stretch your limbs. Then, say a word of thanks for your body and the healing sleep you received.

• Set your alarm. Work complications and family arguments can cause you great stress and it you may make you forget how fortunate you are. Setting gratitude reminders can change all of that. Set three different alarms on your smartphone per day. When the alarm goes off, smile to yourself and recount one thing that you’re grateful for.

• Meals. Saying a quiet word of thanks for your food is a common practice as a lot of work goes into the delicious meals that land on your plate. Beyond the cooks, there are the farmers, harvesters, packagers, and store employees to be thankful for as well. Be grateful for your food and be sure to thank all the people who worked to bring the meal to your table.