| If you are looking to increase your feelings of | | | | The Hindu holy book, the Bhagavad Gita has a line in |
| happiness and a stress-free way of living, then you | | | | it that says "Even in the knocks of life, there are |
| will find answers in this article. Perhaps you may have | | | | great gifts." No matter how bad things are, there are |
| heard that expressing gratitude gives you a more | | | | always good things hidden underneath. In my own |
| positive outlook and releases stress but you are not | | | | experience, I found that expressing gratitude shifts |
| sure how one could be grateful when circumstances | | | | my thoughts from what I don't have to what I |
| are bad. Or you may have dismissed it as a myth | | | | already have that makes my life so enjoyable and |
| that does not work. In this article, we will discuss | | | | whole. Fresh air and abundant sunshine are always |
| how gratitude affects happiness, the research behind | | | | there waiting for me every single day. These |
| it, why it works, and how you could go about | | | | thoughts shift me into a more resourceful state of |
| incorporating an easy gratitude practice that will yield | | | | going about the daily affairs. |
| immediate dividends. | | | | How do we practice gratitude? There are many |
| Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and grateful. | | | | ways to do it. One way is to keep a gratitude journal |
| It also carries the feeling of appreciation and gives | | | | or a gratitude list. Another way may be to reflect on |
| value to an event, someone or something. Dr Robert | | | | 5 good things that we feel grateful for that day |
| Emmons from the University of California, Davis and | | | | before we go to bed at night. Instead of brooding on |
| Dr Michael McCullough from the University of Miami | | | | ways to solve our work problems before we drift |
| have been researching into gratitude and happiness | | | | off to sleep, we replace that with recounting all the |
| for the last several years and their findings show a | | | | good things that happened to us that day. Some |
| definite positive relationship between people who | | | | therapists say that going into sleep with positive |
| keep gratitude journals and happiness. They had a | | | | thoughts will also ensure a higher quality of sleep. |
| better feeling towards live and were more optimistic. | | | | Yet another way to practice gratitude is to stop |
| They also found that these people exercised more, | | | | every now and then during the day and ask yourself |
| slept better and woke up more refreshed. In a study | | | | what you are grateful for at that moment. Here I am |
| with young adults who did gratitude self-guided | | | | typing on the computer as I write this article, and I |
| exercises, the study subjects reported higher levels | | | | am grateful for my computer working well, a superb |
| of alertness, attentiveness, enthusiasm and energy. | | | | internet connection that connects me to a world of |
| Why does gratitude have such an uplifting impact? | | | | information and the warm cup of tea right next to |
| According to Dr McCullough, we have a natural | | | | me. Taking little 30-second gratitude minute breaks |
| tendency to take things for granted. But the | | | | like this not only allows lets me practice gratitude, it |
| moment we stop and think about all the ways we | | | | also recharges and uplifts me as I go through the |
| have been blessed with, our minds will start to use | | | | day. That means a higher quality of work and more |
| that as the new baseline for perceiving how happy | | | | money in the bank. |
| we are. | | | | |