Enjoy the little things!

Recently I read the book titled ‘Live More Happy’ by Dr Darren Morton and it made me wonder “ What am I truly grateful for?” I encourage you to read it too!

Most of us don't take the time to routinely reflect on what we are grateful for. This is unfortunate because we now understand that being grateful has numerous advantages, both mental and physical, such as improvement in our mood, sleep and immunity. We often take the simple pleasures in life for granted but when we just pause for a moment, we’ll realise how fortunate we are to be here, experiencing life. 

A study was conducted by two psychologists in which participants were asked to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics. One group wrote about the week's events for which they were grateful. The second group wrote about things that irritated them, while those in the third group wrote about general events that had affected them (without any particular focus on whether they were positive or negative). Those who wrote about gratitude felt more positive about their lives after 10 weeks. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of negativity. 

Here are some ways to put gratitude into action:-

1. A simple ‘Thank you’: Make a habit of saying thank you. It could make someone’s day and it makes you happier by nurturing your relationship with another person. You could say it verbally or write a gratitude note. 

2. Ask yourself ‘What went well today?’ and write it down at the end of each day: Journaling is a good habit. It helps you put your thoughts into words and even find solutions to challenges. You might find that this helps you sleep better.

3. Look to the positive: Identify your blessings and practice gratitude. Look around you, there are so many things to be grateful for! 

Every experience, good or bad, is an opportunity to learn and improve. Let’s end the year right and be more grateful!

References

1. Morton, D. (2020). Live more happy: Scientifically proven ways to lift your mood and your life. Signs Publishing Company. 

2. Amanda Logan, C. N. P. (2022, December 6). Expressing gratitude to improve health. Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-expressing-gratitude-improve-health#:~:text=Expressing%20gratitude%20is%20associated%20with,everyone%20would%20be%20taking%20it.

3. Giving thanks can make you happier. Harvard Health. (2021, August 14). https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier