Planned Development Services

“Gratitude for the seemingly insignificant – a seed – this plants the giant miracle.”

That’s writer Ann Voskamp’s lovely take on being grateful: that thankfulness, even for the smallest parts of life – maybe the way a rain drop falls off of a leaf, or the way your child smiles at you from across the living room – opens the door to the “miracle” of a richer life.

As far as science and psychological research is concerned, gratitude (defined often as “the quality of being thankful” or “readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”) certainly helps improve your physical, mental, and relationship health.

Here are a few ways that gratitude can improve your life and health:

• Encourages better overall physical health: According to the University of California-Berkley’s Greater Good Science Center, practicing gratitude helps people manage stress, sleep better – even makes them more likely to hit the gym and get regular exercise.
• Strengthens your ability to navigate the challenges of life: When times are tough, gratitude makes them a little easier to handle. Emiliana Simon-Thomas at the Greater Good Science Center said that, “Studies show that people who have gone through trauma have a greater resilience against post-traumatic stress disorder if they have a biological predisposition to be grateful — or if they go through gratitude intervention.”
• Helps you look beyond yourself: Researcher Robert Emmons studies “positive psychology” at the University of California Davis, and says that people who focus on the good things in their lives also tend to be able to focus on other people and causes. If you’re not dwelling on or overcome by your own “negatives,” that’s much easier to do!

Don’t store your gratitude up for a once-a-year expression! Grab a journal or a friend this Thanksgiving and start counting your blessings, but don’t stop there. Keep it up all year long!