While we do not celebrate Thanksgiving in the Philippines, we do not have to wait for that one day to be grateful. Whether it is for something tangible or intangible, in response to a request, a prayer, or a surprise gesture, showing gratitude on a regular basis is a habit that we should cultivate. It is believed that positive thoughts and emotions are beneficial to our bodies, health and wellness. So it is safe to say that gratitude evokes the same responses.
An article on the November 2011 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter showed two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, conducting much research on gratitude.” In one study, the researchers asked their participants to write down a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics. After 10 weeks, the participants who wrote about gratitude felt better and more optimistic about their lives. They also had fewer visits to doctors and exercised more compared to the other participants who focused on sources of aggravation University of California Davis psychology professor Robert Emmons tells WebMD.com, “Grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, (and) regular physical examinations.”
Here are a few tips on how to start being grateful more regularly:
Say “thank you” instead of “you shouldn’t have.”
The latter is a typical Filipino response, as we are often afraid of being indebted towards other people. What people forget, however, is that it doesn’t necessarily show being grateful. So train yourself to say “thank you,” whether it’s for something tangible like a present or something intangible like a compliment.
Write thank you a note.
This practice has been forgotten, especially in this age of quick messaging through SMS and email. A handwritten, personalized note is a gesture that will be truly appreciated. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in response to an act or a gift. It can be simply thanking that person for being in your life.
Start a gratitude journal.
Whether you do this by pen and paper or using an app, the habit of writing daily will change your mindset. This will allow you to see the good in everything, even on a really bad day. It will allow you to start appreciating even the small things that you tend to overlook when daily tasks overwhelm you.
Take a few minutes each day to meditate.
This doesn’t have to be meditation in the strictest sense of the word, but allow yourself to be still. Stay in a quiet room and just focus on the present. Breathe in and out slowly, and try to clear your mind of your worries. You can focus on a word like “peace” or “calm” or “thankful” to help you get in the right frame of mind. The idea is for you to step away for a moment so you can regroup.
Surround yourself with positive people.
There are people who are perennially positive, and some who are incessantly negative. Remove yourself from the presence of these energy vampires, and be with people who know how to smile amidst worries. This doesn’t mean that you should be carefree and just forget about truly pressing problems. This just means that sometimes, you may be worrying too much about things that you shouldn’t worry about. By surrounding yourself with positive people, you will get into the same positive attitude.
