Gratitude
Content Courtesy of the Forever Young Podcast with Christiana Egi and Cherrie-Marie Chiu.
““I am grateful for the sunshine today, the sounds of the early morning birds playing outside my window, the smell of fresh cut grass, the changing colours of the leaves on the trees, and fresh air.””
Gratitude is very important because it helps us to build resilience during the storms of life. Life is like a sea, which can be beautiful and calm, but then the waves come along, and knocks us off balance. It’s important to note that Gratitude is a gradual process. I cannot emphasize enough, the importance of a positive mindset in these moments. Gratitude also helps to improve mental strength and a shift in our mindset. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past like retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings, or the present like not taking good fortune for granted as it comes, and the future, like maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude. Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone's gratitude, it's a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.
We know that everyone can use a little more positivity in their lives today. Many of us express gratitude by saying “thank you” to someone who has helped us or given us a gift. From a scientific perspective, however, gratitude is not just an action: it is also a positive emotion that serves a biological purpose. Positive psychology defines gratitude in a way, where scientists can measure its effects, and thus argue that gratitude is more than feeling thankful - it is a deeper appreciation for someone (or something) that produces longer lasting positivity.
We experience gratitude from a psychological, social and religious context for positive emotion. For example, from a psychological context, Gratitude is a social emotion that signals our recognition of the things others have done for us. This is simple enough to understand. This is the thank you for the coffee. Or thank you for looking after my child.
Another way of looking at gratitude is, gratitude as an emotion, a virtue, a moral sentiment, a motive, a coping response, a skill, and an attitude. It is all of these and more. Minimally, gratitude is an emotional response to a gift. So this might be, thank you for listening or thank you for your support.
The next time you wash your hands, why not say out loud all the things you are grateful for. It does not have to be big things, it can be the simplest little things.
For example:
“I am grateful for the sunshine today, the sounds of the early morning birds playing outside my window, the smell of fresh cut grass, the changing colours of the leaves on the trees, and fresh air.”
See? It’s simple. And at any time of day, you can be reminded how there’s a lot of good in the world and in our lives. A positive attitude will allow you to be a happier person. Remember to always show an attitude of gratitude.
The Forever Young podcast is created and produced by Christiana and Cherrie Marie Chiu. Produced and engineered by Elisse Hill. The podcast represents our opinions and those of our guests. The content should not be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. Please consult your health care professional for any medical questions. If you like our show, please tell your friends and leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. New episodes are available every other Wednesday. Have questions? Email us at ourforeveryoungpodcast@gmail.com.
