A Daily Dose of Gratitude Encourages Health, Happiness and Vibrancy

With all the insanity in the world, it is easy to become bogged down with negativity. Destructive weather, economic meltdowns, a toxic environment… The list could go on forever. It is natural to become disillusioned, depressed and hostile in light of such bad news. But researchers have discovered that even when the environment around us is cloaked in apparent darkness, we can still be happy, healthy, alert — and make a positive impact. As we become more appreciative, vibrancy and energy returns, stress is reduced and we are able to connect with others in a beneficial way.

Research has found that an orientation of gratitude will:

Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., from the University of California Davis, along with his colleague Mike McCullough of the University of Miami, conducted an experiment where participants were given one of three tasks. A weekly journal was kept by each randomly assigned individual either recording grateful thoughts, hassles and frustrations or neutral circumstances that were neither positive nor negative. After 10 weeks, those in the gratitude group were 25 percent happier about their lives than the group that documented frustrations. They also had fewer health complaints and exercised longer by 1.5 hours.

Another study found that individuals with congenital and adult-onset neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) also benefited from gratitude journaling. For those who kept a gratitude journal, quality of sleep was enhanced with longer hours and a more refreshed feeling upon waking. They also felt increased optimism about the upcoming week, more satisfaction with their lives and a greater connection to others compared with the non-journaling participants in the study.

This all sounds well and good, but how do we begin to instill more gratitude into our hectic days? A common theme among positive psychologists: start small and slow down. Here are a few suggestions to get the ball rolling:

Article adapted from Natural News .