Gratitude.
grat·i·tude
/ˈɡradəˌto͞od/
noun
the quality of being thankful;
In simple terms, gratitude is a state of thankfulness and it is a powerful human emotion. When we express gratitude and receive gratitude, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters (a fancy word for chemical messengers that carry messages between neurons) that are responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel ‘good’. They immediately enhance our mood and make us feel happy.
Here are three benefits of gratitude that are backed by science:
Gratitude helps with stress regulation.
One study showed that people who felt grateful showed a marked reduction in cortisol levels (stress hormone) and had better cardiac function.
Gratitude improves mental health and reduces pain.
Canadian researchers found that people who wrote letters of thanks or performed good deeds for a six-week period were able to improve their mental health, decrease their bodily pain, feel more energetic and accomplish more daily tasks for up to six months.
At the neurochemical level, feelings of gratitude can help regulate the "diverse population of neurons" in the part of the brain responsible for managing negative emotions like guilt, shame, and violence.
Gratitude improves sleep quality.
Hypothalamic regulation triggered by gratitude helps us get deeper and healthier sleep naturally everyday.
“It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness.”
So how can I train my brain to be more grateful?
Practice gratitude for the small things. Yes. All. The. Small. Things. Remind yourself to be grateful for the meal you're eating, for the clothes on your back, for the roof over your head. It's amazing how easy it is to forget how blessed we are especially when we are in our own head.
Keep a gratitude journal. Keeping a gratitude journal is a simple was to cultivate gratitude. The one I got for myself can be found: https://amzn.to/43oUASZ.
Smile more often. It seems simple enough but sometimes I need to remind my face! Smiling can boost your mood and make those around you feel better.
Value your friendships and relationships. Call your parents more, make time to connect with friends and family...good relationships bring us joy and support.
Avoid negative media, movies, talk. Turn off the news. Don't watch shows or movies that are negative. Avoid gossiping. When you feed your brain negativity you will, in return, be more negative.
Make an effort to always look at the bright side. Of course there are situations in our life that make this difficult but in most cases there is always something positive to gleen from every circumstance. This can result in a more positive outlook on life.
Appreciate those around you. If you notice that someone does a good job, recognize it. Thank people and thank them a lot. It doesn't only help you, it also makes a difference for them.
It sounds easy enough but it's also easy to fall back into the negativity trap. Training your brain to be grateful takes a conscious effort. But if you can be disciplined and focus your energy and attention on all the good around you you will be sure to live a happier, healthier life.
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