Thanksgiving is a holiday we as Americans celebrate once a year to pause and reflect on our history and journey we have been on as a nation, family and as individuals. Whether you eat turkey, say a prayer of gratitude, or just kick back and watch football, this holiday gives space to think of the many things we are thankful for. However, saying thanks should not just be reserved for one day a year. On the contrary, it should be a lifestyle we live daily because there are many wonderful benefits that go with it.
Living a lifestyle of thankfulness has been proven to better your physical and mental health. Do you get sick a lot? Among many other things, such as rest, diet, excercise and keeping your hands washed, having a positive attitude has been linked to better sleep, less depression and stress, according to psychologist Clay Routledge. In other words, when you focus on what you have been blessed with, you are an overall happier and healthier person than if you focus on what you do not like.
Living a lifestyle of thankfulness has been proven to help you make better friends with others. Do you ever feel like you do not have many friends? Do you ever wonder who your true friends are? When you start showing others in your life that you appreciate them, in return they start to give back too. As a result, both of you feel more happy in the relationship. In his book, Thanks! How the Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier , Dr. Robert Emmons reported that studies have shown that when married people appreciate one another, their marriages are happier and healthier. Consequently, being grateful to those around us can help us have happier relationships.
Lastly, living a lifestyle of thankfulness helps you to have more success in school. Do you ever feel like you spin your wheels when trying to solve a problem or find motivation to do your work? Paul Watkins, a professor from Simon Fraser University, noted a study that was done on high school students who, when writing lists of things they were thankful for, found that this practice led to higher grades, more enthusiasm for learning and less depression. As a result, being grateful can help you improve your life at school!
Overall, having a lifestyle of thankfulness can help you be healthier, happier, well connected to others and smarter! You may wonder, "How can I practice being thankful?" Great question! You can start a thankfulness journal and daily write a list of what you are thankful for. You will see, as you practice this daily, that being thankful will get easier and more fun. You can also write PeaceBuilder notes or thank you notes to friends and teachers. Just a simple verbal "Thank you" and a smile to those who help you out on a daily basis can be beneficial too. These are just a few ideas, but I am sure once you start practicing thankfulness, you will get even more creative ideas!
Sources:
1.) Don't be a turkey. It's simple to foster gratitude in your children. Rodolfo Cortes -- Center for Childhood Creativity.
2.) Three big benefits for being thankful everyday! Kasey Steinbrink -- personal blog.
3.) More than mortal. Clay Routledge, Phd., Psychology Today.
4.) Practicing gratitude can increase happiness by 25%. Psyblog: Understand Your Mind.
Living a lifestyle of thankfulness has been proven to better your physical and mental health. Do you get sick a lot? Among many other things, such as rest, diet, excercise and keeping your hands washed, having a positive attitude has been linked to better sleep, less depression and stress, according to psychologist Clay Routledge. In other words, when you focus on what you have been blessed with, you are an overall happier and healthier person than if you focus on what you do not like.
Living a lifestyle of thankfulness has been proven to help you make better friends with others. Do you ever feel like you do not have many friends? Do you ever wonder who your true friends are? When you start showing others in your life that you appreciate them, in return they start to give back too. As a result, both of you feel more happy in the relationship. In his book, Thanks! How the Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier , Dr. Robert Emmons reported that studies have shown that when married people appreciate one another, their marriages are happier and healthier. Consequently, being grateful to those around us can help us have happier relationships.
Lastly, living a lifestyle of thankfulness helps you to have more success in school. Do you ever feel like you spin your wheels when trying to solve a problem or find motivation to do your work? Paul Watkins, a professor from Simon Fraser University, noted a study that was done on high school students who, when writing lists of things they were thankful for, found that this practice led to higher grades, more enthusiasm for learning and less depression. As a result, being grateful can help you improve your life at school!
Overall, having a lifestyle of thankfulness can help you be healthier, happier, well connected to others and smarter! You may wonder, "How can I practice being thankful?" Great question! You can start a thankfulness journal and daily write a list of what you are thankful for. You will see, as you practice this daily, that being thankful will get easier and more fun. You can also write PeaceBuilder notes or thank you notes to friends and teachers. Just a simple verbal "Thank you" and a smile to those who help you out on a daily basis can be beneficial too. These are just a few ideas, but I am sure once you start practicing thankfulness, you will get even more creative ideas!
Sources:
1.) Don't be a turkey. It's simple to foster gratitude in your children. Rodolfo Cortes -- Center for Childhood Creativity.
2.) Three big benefits for being thankful everyday! Kasey Steinbrink -- personal blog.
3.) More than mortal. Clay Routledge, Phd., Psychology Today.
4.) Practicing gratitude can increase happiness by 25%. Psyblog: Understand Your Mind.