This week our theme is ‘being grateful‘
There is research showing that spending time on a regular basis to be grateful significantly contributes to living a happy life.
- Grateful people are more likely to have higher levels of happiness, lower levels of stress and depression, and to be more satisfied with their lives and social relationships.
- Grateful people also have higher levels of control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, and self-acceptance.
- Grateful people have more positive ways of coping with the difficulties they experience in life, being more likely to seek support from other people, to grow from the experience, and to spend more time planning how to deal with the problem.
- Grateful people sleep better, and this seems to be because they think less negative and more positive thoughts just before going to sleep.
When we are being grateful we are not worrying about the past or wishing for things to change. We are not desiring a new car or holiday. Being grateful allows us to experience peace, comfort & acceptance in where we are in this present moment of our lives. The fluctuations (attachments & aversions) of the mind still for a moment & the gentle essence of our heart emerges like a flower opening to the sun.
A study conducted by Emmons and McCullough (2003) found that sitting down weekly to write about five things we are grateful for increased happiness levels by 25%.
Try doing this with your children ... often it is the simple things in life that come to mind.
Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire;
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes;
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
Author Unknown
The above poem & some of the content of my post (the dot points in italics) came from the website www.dailydownwarddog.com.
To them I am truly grateful! 🙂