Lamees - The Power of Gratitude

I write about the power of trying because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankfulfor all of it.

Kristin Armstrong

Just how does showing gratitude lead to so much goodness?

On a psychological level, we become happier, more positive, and more amenable to finding joy and pleasure in whatever we do. Showing gratitude also has social advantages in that we become more compassionate and generous in our dealings with the world, making us more popular with people, thus less likely to be lonely.

Studies have shown that gratitude helps us on both physical and psychological levels. Physically, it actually helps boost our immunity, thereby making us healthier and more energetic. We are therefore less likely to fall ill, and are able to lead a more active life.

Lets get specific and list the considerable powers we can get from gratitude.

Gratitude empowers, it enables us to understand that life is about moments lived well. Rather than looking out for good or bad moments, gratitude teaches us to be grateful for all those moments that make up a life.

Take the case of someone who has just been in a car crash that resulted in the person being hospitalized with a leg in a cast. Now instead of moping about how he or she would have to stay in hospital for two weeks, the person could be grateful for his life being saved, and could look forward to catching up on some reading and the latest sports (or sitcoms) on television.

Gratitude helps us develop an optimistic and positive perspective about life, with all of its ups and downs. Living life with gratitude enables us to understand and appreciate that taking the rough with the smooth with equanimity is the key to happiness, contentment, and peace.

Inculcating an attitude of gratitude in children from an early age will help them value the blessings they have, leading them away from the current plague of the sense of entitlement affecting so many. It is far too easy for children in todays age to take surrounding comforts and privileges for granted. This ingratitude puts children on the path to growing up to be individuals who find it very difficult to find peace and contentment. It will adversely impact the ability to have meaningful relationships, both at home and work.

If your little one complains that he or she does not have the latest game console, let them know that the one they currently own will do for now. Tell your child how happy you were growing up without any electronic games, and that you were quite happy to go out and play at the park with siblings, and suggest they do the same. You may eventually buy that new game console, but only after your child has fully used the earlier version and outgrown it. Dont let your child fall into the instant gratification trap. Instead, teach your child the virtuous path of gratitude.

The best thing about the empowering nature of gratitude is the fact that it makes you view your own self in a new light. The more thankful you are for the good that occurs in your life, the less you will dwell on those aspects of your personality where you feel you fall short. Besides, gratitude makes you an empathetic person who can appreciate the achievements of others without feeling envious. This frees you up to focus on doing things that work for you. In other words, having an attitude of gratitude will help you take charge of your life in a way you were not able to before.

Among the many wonderful ways in which gratitude empowers you is the way that it energizes your being. The very act of embracing the positive and letting go of the negative makes you view your life with hope and optimism. This, in turn, enthuses you to give your best at everything you do.