Being grateful has many benefits on a personal and interpersonal level. It has a positive impact on our health, our well-being and our relationships. Find out what the amazing benefits of gratitude are.
The science of gratitude
There are psychologists who have spent years studying the effects of gratitude on our lives and our state of mind. They have researched aspects such as well-being and health in general, self-esteem or personal relationships. Although most of the studies have been carried out in the last 20 years, the first date back to the 1970s.
According to studies, for example, by Emmons & McCullough in 2003 as well as Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson in 2005, taking five minutes a day to write what we are grateful for can increase long-term happiness by more than 10%.
Which are the benefits of gratitude
Being grateful makes us feel better overall. All this leads us to benefit on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level.
That is why we are going to review some benefits of gratitude on our health, personality, on emotional, social level and at work. So let us see the benefits of practicing gratitude in our lives.
Health benefits of gratitude
According to several studies, feeling gratitude improves overall health. This may be due to a combination of healthy emotions and habits. When we are satisfied and grateful, we sleep better. Restful sleep is key to our health, well-being and state of mind. We also feel more like taking care of our body with exercise and good nutrition.
As well, gratitude reduces blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Lastly, it can reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Emotional benefits of gratitude
An attitude and the practice of gratitude make us feel happier. It enhances positive emotions such as joy, enthusiasm, satisfaction and pride. It also increases our resilience capacity. In other words, feeling grateful helps us to better deal with adversity.
On the other hand, it reduces negative emotions and feelings such as fear, anger or envy. That is because it increases our self-esteem, patience, and frustration tolerance as well as our overall psychological well-being.
Benefits of gratitude on our personality
Feeling grateful gives us a more positive outlook on life. It makes us feel more optimistic. The more we are grateful for what we have, the more reasons we find to be grateful for. If you feel lost on a spiritual level, starting to practice gratitude can fill you in this regard.
Being grateful for what we have also makes us less materialistic. Therefore we reduce consumer tendencies and the desire to seek quick gratification through consumerism. Gratitude can also reduce our self-centeredness and thus make us more generous to others.
Social benefits of gratitude
Feeling grateful makes us seem more appreciative, sociable, and trustworthy. And that positively affects our interpersonal relationships. Who does not like to surround themselves with positive and happy people?
Expressing our gratitude improves our relationships with our partner, family, friends, colleagues, etc. As well, making them feel good also makes us feel good ourselves.
That is why grateful people also tend to have more social support. Moreover, studies have shown that grateful people tend to feel less self-conscious about sharing their worries. This has a positive impact on the level of trust in their relationships. Besides, as they say: a sorrow shared is a sorrow halved.
Benefits of gratitude at work
Feeling gratitude improves our mental health. This is why grateful people tend to stress less and be more patient. It can also make us more productive workers. Using our strengths combined with feeling gratitude can help us find purpose in our work.
Because gratitude reduces the need to seek quick gratification, one also tends to make better decisions.
Where leadership is concerned, grateful bosses are more appreciated by employees. It is obvious that we feel more motivated if our work is appreciated. A work environment dominated by respect and gratitude makes employees feel more comfortable and therefore reduces turnover rates.
Have the benefits of practicing gratitude convinced you?
Seeing all the benefits, what are you waiting for to practice gratitude?
If you already practice gratitude, which of the benefits have you noticed the most? How do you usually practice gratitude? Do you have some kind of ritual? If you need ideas, check out the ways to practice gratitude.
