Gratitude By Connie Michaelis, Marketing Director We hear a lot about the practice of gratitude these days. There are books to read and journals to keep that promise a surge of positive emotions. Some may think this is Pollyannaish, but there is a great deal of evidence that says the practice of gratitude improves mental and emotional health. The University of California Berkeley recently announced a $3.1 million research study on the power of gratitude. Through their Greater Good Science Center, they study the psychology, sociology and neuroscience of well-being and how we foster a more thriving, resilient and compassionate society. I had to smile when I read that. That is a lot of money to prove what we know intuitively. I don’t think anyone would argue the benefit of being grateful; the problem is that we forget to do it. Do you “count your blessings”? That expression is typically used as advice given to someone who is suffering. But if we think of this exercise as daily medicine for our souls, it can literally change our brain neurons to fire in positive automatic patterns. Gratitude can soothe distress and broaden our thinking patterns. It helps us see things from a better perspective. We always have something to be grateful for and there is always someone who is worse off than we are. I want to challenge you (I am doing it too) to write down five things you are grateful for every morning. No need to be fancy, but you might think out of the box and refrain from items like family, health and friends and pay attention to small things like hot water and daffodils. Thornton Wilder said, We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. We are so blessed at McCrite Plaza so when you have questions about Great Living call the experts at 785 267 2960.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Apr 2014 13:10:49 +0000
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