More on gratitude

Yesterday I gave you my thoughts on gratitude, and on taking the time to say a big thank you for all that this life has given us. As synchronicity would have it, I settled down last night to read the current issue of Body +Soul magazine and there was a wonderful article on expressing gratitude.  I thought I would give you the  highlights of the article since it really resonates with me, and I hope it will with you, too.

The article is entitled “Thank You Therapy” and it explains that not only does expressing thankfulness make us feel good, it is downright essential for good health. According to several studies, expressing gratitude on a daily basis increases our level of happiness and our optimism. And, cultivating gratitude is self-perpetuating: the more grateful you feel, the happier you are, and the more gratitude you then generate. The end result? One happy, healthy, upbeat, grateful individual! Focusing on the positive often overrides the negative things going on in your life. I think this is the best part of consciously expressing gratitude. We as a population, spend way too much time dwelling on what’s not going well in our lives and too little time on the things that are just hunky-dory. As I’ve said in the past, if we focus on the positive aspects of our lives–even envision the ideal we wish to attain–the positive energies out there will not let us down. Never forget that we are all energy fields in motion. All those atoms and molecules react with one another to make us who we are, and they in turn are seeing input from our encounters, our thoughts and perceptions. If you think I’m making this up, just pick up “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman VIncent Peale or anything by Deepak Chopra, or check out Jack Canfield’s stuff as well.

I invite you to take the gratitude test. Make it a point every day to express your thanks for anything and everything that is good in your life. Challenge yourself to make a long list! Read it aloud and feel the power in your words and thoughts. Do this for at least 2 weeks and feel the difference. Your family will see the difference. Go ahead- try it!

peace,

Diane