And you thought gratitude was one of the mushy, hippy qualities that you could forego. Turns out, it might be the critical missing ingredient in your life…like cookies without chocolate chips.
And you thought gratitude was one of the mushy, hippy qualities that you could forego. Turns out, it might be the critical missing ingredient in your life…like cookies without chocolate chips.First off, two resources that turned me into a gratitude advocate:
- Our virtual book club read The Gratitude Diaries by Janice Kaplan this month and it was full of expert opinion and research studies. You should get yourself a copy and then prepare your family and friends to discover a happier, more positive, more interesting you (and join the next book club – check under events on our Facebook page).
- This delightful blog post from the Happier Human linked up all of the research studies so that I didn’t have to. I also really like the old school diagram for a quick visual of all the reasons why gratitude makes you happy, successful and attractive.
So, here are the 24 research-backed benefits of building up a strong gratitude ritual.
People who consistently practice gratitude are:
- More resilient
- Happier! (and have happier memories)
- Less envious
- More relaxed
- More optimistic
- Less materialistic
- More spiritual
- Less self-centered
- Happier with who they are (higher self-esteem)
- More friendly
- Have better marriages
- Garner more respect
- Enjoy more friends
- Experience deeper relationships
- Sleep better
- Visit the doctor less
- Enjoy longer lives
- Have more energy
- Engage in more exercise
- Better at managing people
- Have larger career networks
- Achieve more of their goals
- Better decision makers
- Get more done
Click on over to the Happier Human post to dissect any one of these claims. But, first, pull out your journal and write down three things you’re grateful for today.
Repeat at least three times weekly.