Do you want to be more grateful? There are lots of benefits to practicing gratitude — for starters, you will be a happier person who is more content with their life. There are lots of different ways you can be more grateful. You can keep a gratitude journal, or you can practice saying “thank you” to one person every day.
Practicing gratitude is one of the fastest ways to improve your life. Check out the following 8 amazing things that will happen when you start to practice gratitude.
1. You will sleep better
If you don’t feel grateful in your life, you may struggle to sleep at night because you feel discontent. However, you can fix this by practicing gratitude. According to a 2009 study, thinking about the things that you are grateful for will improve your quality of sleep. You will also sleep for longer and feel better rested when you wake up.
2. You will be less stressed out
Stress is one of the most common problems for adults today. Many people lay awake at night, stressing about their relationships and their career. However, stress and being ungrateful go hand in hand – a study published in Research on Aging found that older people who were grateful for their lives experienced less harmful effects from stress.
This even applied to the people who had lived in difficult circumstances, like poverty – which goes to show that your outlook is more important than anything else.
3. Your health will improve
Do your body a favor by being grateful. Practicing gratitude doesn’t just alter your mind – it even affects your body physically. Researchers have found a link between gratitude and having lower blood pressure, as well as fewer aches and pains and improved immunity. Grateful people even have healthier hearts!
4. You will have better relationships
It makes sense that the most grateful people are often the most popular. Saying “thank you” and appreciating kind gestures makes people want to form an ongoing relationship with you, according to a 2014 study published in Emotion. Saying “thank you” is often a conversation starter in itself – and let’s face it, being rude rarely makes you friends!
5. You will have more energy
Being aware of the things that you are grateful for may actually help you to achieve your dreams and goals. A 2003 study found that the participants who kept a gratitude journal reported higher levels of enthusiasm, determination, energy, and alertness. When you start being thankful, you notice every small bit of progress that you make, which helps to motivate you to keep going.
6. You will manage pain better
Gratitude helps you to maintain a positive outlook, helping you to manage your stress and stay mentally strong even during the hardest times. A study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that war veterans who maintained high levels of gratitude experienced lower levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
7. You will improve your leadership skills
Do you lead and manage people during your work day? If so, being grateful at work will make you a better leader; according to research from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, grateful leaders motivate their employees to be more productive. The study found that employees who had been thanked by their leader made 50% more fundraising calls than the employees who hadn’t been thanked.
8. You will feel more self-confident
Lots of studies have found a link between gratitude and higher levels of self-esteem. Some studies found that being grateful reduces social comparisons, so you are more likely to be happy in yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. Instead of feeling jealous of other successful people, focus on your own achievements and successes so that you can have a happier life.
