Many philosophers, religious texts, spiritual belief systems and even scientists laud the value of gratitude in everyday life, and this is no coincidence nor a conspiracy. Time and time again, it is proven that gratitude plays a direct role in improving one’s daily wellbeing. Loving Ashes values gratitude as a mechanism for self-care as well as personal growth, particularly when dealing with the after-effects of grief after loss. Today, we want to show you how to improve your wellbeing with gratitude, and teach you why it works in the first place.
How to Be Grateful
In their 2003 study, professor of psychology Robert Emmons and his colleague Michael E. McCullough identified two stages of gratitude, which also help to form a working definition of what gratitude is in general. The two stages are as follows:
- A person acknowledges the goodness in their life, and pays attention to the elements in their life that cause it to be rich and detailed. This acknowledgement is gratifying to the person, in presence and in choosing to acknowledge it. This stage is self-directed.
- A person recognises that the source of this goodness is independent of themselves. In stage two, a person expresses gratitude towards others: people, animals, the world. This stage combines recognition of goodness and who is responsible for it. This stage is other-directed.
So, we now understand that gratitude is an internal and external expression of thankfulness, acknowledgement, and recognition for a good moment, thing or event, and also for the person, event or thing that caused said goodness.
Why It Feels Good to Express Gratitude
Gratitude has a lot to do with reciprocity – a social norm whereby a person responds to a positive action with another positive action. When a person expresses or performs an act of gratitude towards another, that person will likely, in turn, be motivated to do something kind for the first person or even for a stranger.
This sort scenario is where the saying ‘paying it forward’ comes from, as gratitude drives people to pass the grateful buck and brighten another person’s day as well.
The Effects of Gratitude on Your Wellbeing
Various studies have categorically proven a link between nurturing gratitude in everyday life, and increased wellbeing. In their 1998 study, McCraty and colleagues found that participants who cultivated appreciation and positive emotions in their daily life are likely to reduce their secretion of stress hormones by 23% over time! This means that with daily practice, those who cultivate gratitude in their daily lives can and will improve their wellbeing by reducing stress levels.
In a 2015 study, John Nezlek and colleagues found that gratitude – when intentionally cultivated – is significantly related to wellbeing. They found that people who felt more grateful on given days also reported a higher wellbeing on those days. Similarly, on more stressful days, participants reported lower wellbeing. In this way, we are shown that with increased gratitude, comes increased wellbeing, and decreased levels of stress.
In conjunction, you improve your wellbeing with gratitude in the following ways:
- Gratitude leads you to be more patient and tolerant
- You are more capable of making sensible decisions
- Feelings of appreciation lead to Improved connectedness in relationships
- You are more likely to perform self-care, such as exercise and healthy eating
- Gratitude soothes the nervous system and leads to better sleep
- Being grateful aids in relieving feelings of depression
Loving Ashes and Gratitude
At Loving Ashes, we believe that gratitude is a mechanism for self-care, particularly when healing after the loss of a loved one. We place great value on nurturing positive thoughts and expressing gratitude daily in order to improve wellbeing and general quality of life. For more interesting and informative articles about gratitude, grief, loss and love, head to our blog page.
Contact us should you have any questions regarding our hand-blown glass memorial orbs and our creation process.
