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The power of gratitude

Did you know that taking the time to note the good things in your life and being thankful for them can help improve your wellbeing?

Research has shown that people who counted their blessings felt happier, had better health, exercised more, slept better, and made healthier food choices.  As Melanie Beattie says:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough and more.

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

Building a gratitude practice doesn’t need to take a lot of time.  Here are a few ideas and resources to get you started.  Try practising for a week and discover the benefits for yourself.

  • At the end of each day write down three good things that happened to you today.
  • Pause throughout the day and find something to appreciate e.g. the warmth of the sun on your skin, feeling full and satisfied after eating or the fact that your car is working OK.
  • Before you eat a meal take time to be grateful to all the people involved in getting the food to your plate, the farmers, drivers, shop assistants, the person that bought the food and the person who cooked it.
  • Take a walk using all of your senses and notice as many positive things as you can.   Really take it all in and savour what you find.
  • Thank someone who has done something for you that you are grateful for.  This could be for something big or small, recent or a long time ago.  Phone them, send an email, write them a letter or arrange to go and see them.
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