Gratitude Helps You Flourish — Here’s How
By Movieguide® Contributor
Did you know that practicing intentional gratitude can better your health and boost resiliency and community?
“Intentionally practicing gratitude encourages us to regularly recognize and appreciate the positive aspects of our lives,” Baylor University said. “While research shows that gratitude benefits health, well-being and happiness, it simultaneously fosters new connections and strengthens existing relationships by encouraging positive interactions and prosocial behaviors.”
But what exactly is gratitude?
Peter Clemens in an article for Possibility Change defines it as “a profound emotion, a state of mind, and a way of life.”
“It’s an appreciation for the kindness, gifts, experiences, and people that enrich our lives. It’s an acknowledgment of goodness in our lives, a good that often comes from something outside of ourselves,” he explained.
Ultimately, our gratitude should come from a place of recognizing God’s goodness in our lives, and doing so “can amplify human flourishing in a variety of areas,” according to Baylor.
One of those areas? Strengthening relationships.
“Gratitude helps us find interpersonal relationships, binds us to our friends and reminds us of all the valuable relationships in our lives,” said Sarah Schnitker, a professor of psychology at BU. “[That’s why] we’ve been looking at how to cultivate gratitude in such a way as to really impact flourishing. Not just individual well-being, but also the well-being of other people around them.”
READ MORE: HERE’S ONE SIMPLE WAY TO SHARE YOUR GRATITUDE THIS THANKSGIVING
Sometimes being thankful can be a struggle. But something as simple as getting more sleep (just 46 extra minutes) might just change your outlook.
A study by Baylor sleep expert Michael K. Scullin found that “Participants who extended their sleep showed marked improvements in resilience, gratitude and overall flourishing.”
“It turns out that getting more sleep has a broader influence than just feeling more alert during the day,” Scullin said. “Better sleep helps you to have a clear vision for your life and to be more resilient to the challenges that could happen tomorrow.”
Along with sleep, Clemens provided several other suggestions to help us focus on being thankful: keeping a gratitude journal, writing gratitude letters, mindful thankfulness, gratitude jars, gratitude walks, gratitude reminders and gratitude during routines.
But taking a moment to thank God each day for His blessings in your life will be the most powerful way to keep gratitude at the forefront of your life.
READ MORE: HOW TO TEACH AND PRACTICE GRATITUDE WITH YOUR KIDS
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