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Thanksgiving may be well past us now, but convincing evidence continues to highlight just how important it is to practice gratitude, especially for our health and mental wellness.
Related: 5 Ways to Be More Thankful
In its simplest form, gratitude is a state of mind that we reach when we affirm the good things in our lives, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they are.
Giving thanks has long been touted as something we should all do, whether it’s through prayer, ‘counting our blessings’, as part of our yoga practice, through gratitude journaling, or even just because it’s the right thing to do. But just how far reaching are the effects of gratitude? What can gratitude do for our health? Our well-being? Or even our happiness?
As the research shows, gratitude can actually lead to positive outcomes in nearly every regard when it comes to our health and mental wellness. Here’s why.
Why You Should Make Gratitude a Daily Practice
1. Gratitude can actually help to prevent disease. Many studies continue to show that practicing gratitude can actually reduce your risk of developing depression. By choosing to look at the world through a positive lens, we can reframe our perspective and fight depressive symptoms. Other studies have also confirmed this in specific populations of people suffering from chronic disease, illuminating the powerful effects of giving thanks.
2. Gratitude helps us to heal from traumatic events. Gratitude can also have a positive effect on our mental health. How? Research has shown that gratitude can bolster positive coping mechanisms, thus allowing us to heal from traumatic or stressful events
3. Gratitude can generate a greater sense of well-being. In this study, it was found that emotional intelligence is positively associated with gratitude and enhanced well-being. This shows that gratitude is an effective tool that we can all use to support our mental health, and even foster greater emotional intelligence.
4. Gratitude changes how we see the world-and for the better. Choosing to give thanks, even when we’re struggling, can make all the difference in our outlook on life. It can replace our toxic emotions with feelings of peace and contentment, and can elevate our feelings of happiness while fighting depression. For this reason, gratitude may be one of our best, most effective tools in our toolbox that we can utilize anywhere, at any time.
Ready to make gratitude a daily part of your life? Check out Adviceable’s Wellness Planner here.
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