What is Gratitude and how do you recognize it your own life? You have probably heard the saying “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” This famous Napoleon Hill quote proves to be quite true when it comes to the science of positive thinking.
Practicing Gratitude is not just about being grateful for the big moments, but rather about recognizing gratitude in the small everyday things.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible.”
You may be wondering if practicing gratitude can have an impact on daily lives, and what kind of changes can we expect to see.
The Mindfulness Awareness Research Center of UCLA stated that “gratitude does change the neural structures in the brain and make us feel happier and more content. Feeling grateful and appreciating others when they do something good for us triggers the ‘good’ hormones and regulates effective functioning of the immune system.”
In short, practicing gratitude directly impacts how your body functions. It helps release the serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin that are responsible for making you feel good, or happy. The more often we repeat the healthy habits that have positive neurochemical reactions, the easier it is to get out of a rut. In fact, studies have also shown that people who practice gratitude regularly are ‘more empathetic and positive minded by nature’.
With continued practice, a small shift in how you think and perceive situations can change your whole life experience. Not only does it increase your overall health, but gratitude also increases your motivation.
When you are living with Gratitude in your everyday mind, you can begin to feel more fulfilled daily. When we assess our circumstances and understand our priorities, we open ourselves to managing our energetic resources in a highly efficient manner. Constant assessment is necessary for maintaining our happiness. Choosing a positive thought, affirmation – or consistent appreciation or gratitude, you can start to give direction to your subconscious mind.
Filling ourselves up with positive, wholesome thinking and habits is not a shallow exercise. Nor is it a selfish one. Consider the half empty cup. If you and I are both thirsty, it may be harder for either one of us to give up the little that we have left in our cups. But if either of us have an overfull cup, we do not question sharing our resources. We give freely, in fact we are even motivated to give, as we do not know what to do with our abundance for ourselves. Achieving this level of abundance in our lives requires consistency and discipline, but we are rewarded with light, devoted relationships, and a far greater sense of fulfillment.
If you would like to start your journey into a life filled with Gratitude and change your “pre-programed negative thought process,” contact us today.
In a couple of short Hypnotherapy sessions, we can get into your subconscious mind and give you the tools to recognize the negative thoughts and appreciate the gratitude instead. Book a Clarity Call online or call 403-383-5810 today and have a quick discussion with Nadiya to start your Gratitude Journey.
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