Dr. Robert A. Emmons is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, and is the founding Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology. He has conducted studies on gratitude and thankfulness and the impact those feelings have on people.
In one long-term study, Dr. Emmons partnered with Dr. Michael McCullough, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Miami. In setting up this research project, one of their goals was to develop methods to cultivate gratitude in one’s daily life, and to assess the effect gratitude had on one’s well-being. What they found was that people who kept a gratitude journal they wrote in even only once a week, were more apt to exercise more, suffer less from physical problems, felt better about their lives in general, and began their week feeling good about themselves. This was in comparison with people in the study who wrote in a journal all of the negatives they had experienced during the week, and those who wrote about their experiences in a neutral manner, without any leaning toward those experiences being positive or negative. The study also showed that those writing about all they were grateful for made greater progress in the goals they had set for themselves, when observed over a two month period, in comparison with the other two groups. A daily gratitude intervention among young adults showed equally positive results as they were more attentive, more energized, more alert, and had greater enthusiasm and determination. Others who wrote of their gratitude on a daily basis reported having helped or offered emotional support to someone else. And in studying adults with neuromuscular disease over a 21-day period, those who kept daily gratitude journals said they felt more positive about their life, had higher energy, felt more connected to others, and were more optimistic. They also stated they had longer periods, and improved quality, of sleep. Keeping a gratitude journal does not just change our thoughts. It changes the way we feel physically and emotionally, the progress we make in attaining our goals, and the way we react to others. Making such a commitment is one of the most effective ways we can nurture ourselves. All it takes is a few moments a day to change your life. What a small investment for such positive results! -Maureen Barberio Grace of Gratitude Contributor
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The things we can be be grateful for are multitudinous – there are truly a gazillion things about life to be grateful for. Following is a list of 99 things, in no particular order. And I invite you to add to this, or perhaps make your own list. Being in a state of thanksgiving promotes more joy and well-being and comfort in our lives!
1) Blazing orange and magenta sunsets 2) Quiet dawns in the darkness of early morning 3) Redwood trees 4) Exotic flowers like stargazer lilies and orchids 5) Sweet dogs and diffident cats 6) Comfy, warm home fires on a cold winter day 7) Neon-green newborn grass emerging in Spring 8) Supportive, loyal friends 9) Giving and receiving 10) Art in all its forms 11) Magical dusk 12) Sturdy strong oaks 13) Strong bodies that move us 14) The beauty of the feminine 15) The first Spring crocus rising up 16) Optimism 17) Positivity 18) Silliness 19) Gratitude! 20) Family, even the dysfunctional, which is most of us 21) Laughing till your tummy hurts 22) Deep emotion and passion 23) Our guides and angels 24) Turquoise 25) Walks in nature 26) A favorite song 27) Dancing madly 28) The golden light on nearby mountains 29) Big Bang Theory on TV 30) The Big Bang Theory of science 31) Infinity 32) Worlds upon worlds 33) Gentle, sensitive horses 34) A warm latte in winter 35) Clear deep rushing rivers 36) Swimming naked 37) Baby lambs, puppies, kitties 38) Food glorious food 39) Too many bubbles in a bubble bath 40) The smooth skin of youth 41) Goofy faces 42) Jack rabbits 43) Technology that connects the world 44) Pen and paper 45) Renoir, Matisse, Van Gogh 46) Pungent fragrances of lavender, rosemary, mint 47) Music to rock out to 48) Wisdom through the ages 49) Dalai Lama 50) Mother Teresa 51) Modern day mystics 52) Playtime especially when we are all grown up 53) Looking at the night sky 54) Watching a comet travel through the sky night after night 55) Unfurling of a fern frond 56) Water! Drinking it and knowing we are mostly made of it 57) The universal language of music 58) Yellow 59) Scurrying squirrels 60) The bustle and mix of animals, people, cars and bikes in India 61) Stretching our bodies 62) Hugs and kisses 63) Sharing with like-minded friends 64) The whole intricate, multi-layered systems of our bodies 65) Siblings through thick and thin 66) Loving, caring, nurturing mothers 67) Steady, sensible, hardworking fathers 68) Doting grandparents 69) The wonder of birth! 70) Peace, quiet, serenity 71) Cars that transport us 72) The United States with all its strengths and foibles 73) The brilliant, flashy extravaganza of Spring 74) The vast ocean – the waves and tides and immensity 75) The mystery and magic of life – all that we don’t understand 76) Scientists and mathematicians 77) Magenta 78) Routines we can count on 79) The fact that our world is spinning and we feel stable 80) Tropical islands 81) Belly dancing 82) Red 83) Melodious singers 84) The beat of drums 85) Enjoying a cool salad on a hot summer day 86) Honesty and forthrightness – people you can count on 87) Silent, exquisite snowfakes falling 88) Blue, and all the myriad of shades of it 89) Eyes that are a window to the soul 90) Smiles 91) Love – agape love, family love, self-love 92) The feeling of joy that upwells from within 93) The Earth’s incredible beauty 94) Purple 95) Other life in the universe that is undoubtedly there 96) Particles and waves dancing and disappearing 97) Confidence and Trust 98) Kind deeds and compassion 99) All the things left off this list… Deborah Perdue, RScP, is the author of Grace of Gratitude Journal, www.graceofgratitude.com. She teaches workshops, classes and retreats on the topics of gratitude, and bringing more joy and peace into our lives. She is also an accomplished book designer, www.illuminationgraphics.com as well as a nature photographer. 1. Brilliant splashes of color against a bright blue backdrop of sky
2. Eating soup in carved out rounds of bread 3. Hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks 4. Turning off the air conditioner 5. Pumpkin flavored foods 6. Opened windows and cool breezes 7. Going apple picking 8. Halloween decorations 9. Sweaters, boots, vests and jackets 10. Planning for Thanksgiving 11. Steaming bowls of chili 12. The sound of leaves crunching below your feet 13. The smell of firewood burning in the air 14. Blankets and throws keeping us toasty warm 15. Spying busy squirrels finding the perfect spots to bury their winter feasts 16. Football games and tailgating 17. The smell of apple pie baking in the oven 18. Children and dogs jumping in piles of raked leaves 19. Watching birds as they fly south in perfect V-formation 20. Crisp temperatures that make us feel even MORE alive and vibrant -Maureen Barberio Grace of Gratitude Contributor |
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