Do you want more from your life? More happiness? Better health? Deeper relationships? Increased productivity in London? What if I told you that just one thing can help you in all of those areas? A positive, appreciative outlook allows us to fully experience the gift of life.

“Expressing gratitude to others is a gift to them. Experiencing gratitude is a gift to yourself.” - Michael Josephson

The Science Behind It….

Gifts of Gratitude helps

1. Make Us Happy
2. Make People Like Us
3. Make Us Healthier
4. Boost Our Career
5. Strengthen Our Emotions
6. Develop Our Personality
7. Make Us More Optimistic
8. Reduce Materialism
9. Increase Spiritualism
10. Make Us Less Self-Centred
11. Increase Self-Esteem
12. Improve Our Sleep
13. Enhance Longevity
14. Increase Our Energy Level
15. Make Us More Likely to Exercise
16. Help Us to be More Resilient
17. Make Us Feel Good
18. Make Our Memories Happier
19. Reduce Feelings of Envy
20. Us Relax
21. Make Us Friendlier
22. Strengthen Marriages
23. Make Us Look Better
24. Us Make More Friends
25. Deepen Friendships
26. Maks Us More Effective at Work
27. Us Network
28. Increase Our Goal Achievement
29. Improve Our Decision-making Skills
30. Increase Our Productivity
31. Turn Bad Things Into Good Things – Opportunities
32. Remind Us of What’s Important

What This Means to You…

Gratitude has scientifically proven benefits, it doesn’t cost you anything, and it can make a huge difference in your life.

Start by taking the Gratitude Quiz. Then start cultivating gratitude in your own life by trying a few of these ideas to get you started:

• Daily gratitude session or journaling.
• There’s an App for that. Download one of these on your mobile devices:
  • Gratitude Journal
  • Gratitude Diary
  • Gratitude Journal 365
• Say, write, call, text, email a thank you to someone.
• Be grateful for the “negative” things in your life. Look at problems as opportunities to grow, to be creative, etc.
• Give “Thanks” before a meal.
• Gratitude Trigger - Place an object somewhere in your house or workspace which will remind you to feel grateful each time that you look at it.
• Give at least one compliment daily, whether directly to a person or by sharing your appreciation of something ("I love how quiet it is in the morning, don’t you?").
• When you find yourself in a bad situation ask: What can I learn? When I look back on this, without emotion, what will I be grateful for?
• Vow to not complain, criticize, or gossip for a day, week or month.
• At the end of each day, ask yourself the following four questions:
  • What touched me today?
  • Who or what inspired me today?
  • What made me smile today?
  • What’s the best thing that happened today?

Things to Remember…

“Expressing gratitude to others is gift to them. Experiencing gratitude is a gift to yourself.” - Michael Josephson

Gratitude is sincere when it is given as a gift and not seen as something you should do or something that you need to put on your “to-do” list.  It is better if it comes from a heart of true appreciation rather than a place of pressure.

Instead, think of gratitude as taking a little time to appreciate all the little things around us that we experience every day. To be attentive to the little things in our daily lives. The contentment and joy that will fill us in response will be the gift.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.

References….

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/in-praise-of-gratitude-201211215561

For 26 studies on the science of gratitude…

http://happierhuman.com/the-science-of-gratitude/

http://happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude