The Exceptional Benefits of Gratitude
Being mindful about taking time for gratitude may have some surprising effects on you and those around you – mentally and even physically. These are four of the most impactful ways that practicing gratitude can have a huge effect in your life.
- Strengthen Your Relationships
Several psychological studies have shown that expressing gratitude to and about your partner or a friend can increase your perception of that relationship’s strength.
In one study, people who took the time to reflect on and show in some way that they are grateful for certain things about their partner or friend scored higher on tests measuring a feeling of “communal strength” in that relationship. Not only the person who is expressing the gratitude feels the benefits, but the person receiving the gratitude also is feeling that the relationship is strengthening.
Gratitude leads to appreciation and appreciation leads to positivity and connection between you and the person with whom you are practicing gratitude.
- Improve Your Honesty
Another study showed that in relationships where gratitude was given and received more often, partners were feeling more comfortable saying concerns and bringing up problems in non-confrontational ways.
This kind of behavior allows relationships more honesty and authenticity – because both parties feel securely loved and appreciated, they are less afraid to broach topics that may be more difficult to discuss. They are more receptive to feedback and to changing their behavior, both of which can lead to improved long-term relationship success.
- Boost Your Long-Term Happiness
Keeping gratitude in your mind as a base psychological state to return to, and practicing it regularly has been shown to improve long-term happiness outcomes and life contentment in individuals.
What’s interesting, writing “notebook of gratitude” systematically one a week provides you to reach the most natural and the longest results.
- Help Ease Your Pains
The practice of gratitude has been linked in many studies to a decrease in self-reported physical symptoms of stress, fatigue, soreness, and illness. It provides you to better amount and quality of sleep, and improved immunity.
