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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Scientifically Proven Benefits of Being Thankful

You MUST be increasing your gratitude index.

I’m a big Amy Morin fan. She is a psychologist who positions her work “at the intersection of Business and Psychology.” Her most popular article, 13Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, will be featured on my Daily Dose of Growth Podcast in about a month.

Amy has another great article that I want to comment on today: 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude.

 Here they are:

  1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships. 
  2. Gratitude improves physical health.
  3. Gratitude improves psychological health
  4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. 
  5. Grateful people sleep better.
  6. Gratitude improves self-esteem.
  7. Gratitude increases mental health.

If you’re like me, you read that list and you want to say, “Prove it!”

She does.

After each point she references the scientific study that speaks to the claim that she makes. I was familiar with several of the studies, and there were others I had not seen. And I’m aware of other studies that prove even more benefits.

So that’s the what—let’s talk about the how.

Thankfulness rewires our brains and gives us a new mental context, a new map from which we make sense of the world.Imagine the person who celebrates all she has instead of pouting about the things that she thinks she deserves. Or the guy who begins noticing all the good things that are happening instead of the few things that offend him (that he can’t change anyway).

You, yes you, can grow in this area with the right kind of practice. You can start by taking a small baby step everyday. To do so simply sign up for The 30 Day World Thankfulness Challenge.You’ll get a short email with an easy, daily thankfulness exercise. This method has been shown countless times to help people cultivate an “Attitude ofGratitude” and become a happier person.  

The Challenge only lasts until the end of November. If you join us, it will probably be your best holiday season ever!

 

Rob

 

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