GRATITUDE CHALLENGE
grat·i·tude • /ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun • the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
What character strengths are most predictive of wellbeing? This is the question that a research group was trying to answer in 2015. What they found and published might surprise you. It wasn't grit, passion, love, social intelligence, humility, or charisma. It was something more subtle. The most consistent and best predictor of overall wellbeing was gratitude! (Scientific American, 2015)
Could gratitude help our physical health? Leading health expert Dr. Rangan Chatterjee and others are seeing a direct correlation between gratitude and physical health. In 2015 a study was conducted among individuals with heart failure. They found that individuals who scored high on gratitude also reported better moods, less fatigue, deeper sleep, and less inflammation, which is what can worsen heart failure. In other studies, those who practiced gratitude daily correlated with lowered blood pressure. As promising as this is for physical health, the evidence is even more significant for the impact of gratitude on our mental health. DHEA is a naturally occurring hormone that acts as an antidepressant. Some call it the "feel-good" hormone. Studies have found that after one month of daily focused gratitude, individuals increased there DHEA levels by a remarkable 100%! This directly leads to greater happiness, resilience, and lowers stress and anxiety. Who doesn't want that in their life!
So, what small steps can we do with awareness and intentionality that will lead to significant changes in our life when it comes to gratitude?
For the next month, here is our challenge to you:
1. Gratitude Journal: Every night before you go to bed, write down three things you are thankful for. It doesn't need to be long or detailed. It could be as simple as a meal that you had with a friend or an opportunity that has come up professionally. Studies have found that people who do this are 25% happier after 10 weeks!
2. Write two “thank you” cards a week for the next four weeks. Having gratitude isn't just an internal feeling but should lead us to action. You may be tempted to do it in an email or text, but handwriting a letter can have a profound impact upon you and the one who receives it.
In the New Testament Paul tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18
This says that what God wants for us is to have an attitude and a heart of thankfulness in all circumstances. For each breath we take, for each meal we have, to every person we get to encounter. A life of gratitude leads to a great life marked by humility and happiness.
Do you want to go deeper? Check out Shawn Achor’s TED talk: The Happy Secret to Better Work.
"In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
-Greg