Did you know the word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus, which means “thankful, pleasing.” Therefore, in its most simple form, to be grateful is to have appreciation and express thankfulness. We know that this idea of “counting our blessings” has many positive effects on how we FEEL, but could its effects be wider than that?
- Well-being – Being thankful has been shown to predict significantly lower risk of a range of diagnoses including major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, substance abuse, and eating disorders. Giving gratitude is associated with high satisfaction in life and the sense that one’s life has meaning.
- Relationships – Those that show gratitude regularly also report more positive relationships, research shows. People who are gratuitous are shown to be more willing to forgive others and work on their relationships. This relates back to the first point that showing gratitude increases the meaning of one’s life and relationships.
- Health – A study showed that giving gratitude before sleep can affect our sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep latency and sleep efficiency. Researchers concluded that grateful people are more likely to think positive thoughts throughout their day, rather than worrying, which leads to having a better night’s sleep overall!
What area(s) have you seen a change this month: well-being, relationships, your health? Take a few moments each day to reflect on all the blessings in your life. After all, what we focus on grows…why not focus on the goodness and light in your life?
