There has been a lot of information written on "ThGiving Thanks and Gratitude in the last few of years. Most people celebrate Thanksgiving yearly as is the custom, and of course giving thanks is always a good thing. But, when we give thanks each and every day, we can transform our lives. "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice." ~Meister Eckhart
If people wait until only one day each year, they might be so down and depressed that they might not be able to remember what they are thankful for. I am not taking anything away from Thanksgiving, because as was already mentioned, any day a person spends giving thanks is a good day, but, let's work on giving thanks each and every single day.
Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope
Why Give Thanks or be Grateful Each Day?
You might be saying to yourself, the world is crashing down all around me, I am sick, I need a job, why me, or I just can't make ends meet. There are so many reasons why people don't feel grateful. But, the very best time to "Give Thanks" or be "Grateful" is when you feel it least. And that is the time you need to say it the most.
University of California Davis psychology professor Dr. Robert Emmons has researched "thanksgiving." His study has shown that people who count their blessings -- not just on "Thanksgiving Weekend" each year, but in daily gratitude expressions - exercise more regularly, complain of fewer illnesses and symptoms, and feel better about their overall lives and experiences. In other words, they express more wellness, fulfillment, happiness, connection and a complete sense of well being. Why ? Because they often say "Thank You" which creates positive energy.
How can we make a daily habit of becoming more thankful?
Here's a suggestion. Keep and write in a book or journal and label it : 'My Gratitude's' or 'Thankfulness'. Of course it's your book, so you can name it whatever you wish. And practice "Giving Thanks".
I find that my clients who are anxious or depressed and keep a "Gratitude Journal" begin to like keeping a gratitude journal and then see themselves using this skill in everyday life. There's only one rule to this, which is; don't write down negative thoughts- only positive ones. A while back I read that you should write 5 things to be grateful for at the end of each day. So, you could keep your journal right beside your bed, and after your prayers if that is your custom, you will probably be in the mood to write what you are grateful for.
Grateful people "feel more alert, alive, interested, enthusiastic. They also feel more connected to others," said Emmons, who has written two books on the science of gratitude and often studies the effects of those gratitude diaries.
"Gratitude also serves as a stress buffer," Emmons said in an e-mail interview. "Grateful people are less likely to experience envy, anger, resentment, regret and other unpleasant states that produce stress."
Remember this is your journal, so do it anyway that works for you. Try it and see how it begins to transform your life. Now, what do you record in your book or journal? Remember, it is yours so that is your choice. But, just think about what you are truly thankful for.
Here are just some examples of what I am so thankful for. I think about my family and friends. I am very thankful for them. I know that I won't have my parents too much longer so I am thankful that they are still here. I am thankful for getting home safely when I arrive home from anywhere. I am thankful for flowers, their beauty as well as their fragranc; even though I have allergies. I am thankful that I have a home, with a roof over my head, as lots of people around the world don't have what I have. I am thankful that I have good food to eat, and proper whole food based supplements that I can take to keep me healthy. That being said, I am very thankful that at my age I am healthy and do not need to take any medications. I pray that it holds. I am thankful when I look into the beautiful faces of those dear to me. I am thankful for true friends that are there any time of the day or night that I might need them. And believe me I have called on some of them during times of stress. They know who they are. I am thankful that I have fulfilling work that helps others and gives me true satisfaction. I really enjoy helping people and I enjoy any physical outdoor work I do.
I think you get the idea. When you begin to remind yourself of what you have to be thankful for, you develop an attitude of thankfulness, and you begin to transform your life. This transformation is a good one as it gives you a sense of well being, happiness and true joy.
This feeling is a wonderful blessing. It is the blessing of having a rich life, by means of the cultivation of our own perspective. So, transform your life by putting more thankfulness or gratitude in it. Your health and those that you love are worth every effort and some expense.
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation
is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Souces :
http://www.squidoo.com/topics/healthy-living/mental-health/personal-development
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grand-rounds/201111/giving-thanks
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/give-thanks-health-psyche-brain-emotion_n_1108590.html
If people wait until only one day each year, they might be so down and depressed that they might not be able to remember what they are thankful for. I am not taking anything away from Thanksgiving, because as was already mentioned, any day a person spends giving thanks is a good day, but, let's work on giving thanks each and every single day.
Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope
Why Give Thanks or be Grateful Each Day?
You might be saying to yourself, the world is crashing down all around me, I am sick, I need a job, why me, or I just can't make ends meet. There are so many reasons why people don't feel grateful. But, the very best time to "Give Thanks" or be "Grateful" is when you feel it least. And that is the time you need to say it the most.
University of California Davis psychology professor Dr. Robert Emmons has researched "thanksgiving." His study has shown that people who count their blessings -- not just on "Thanksgiving Weekend" each year, but in daily gratitude expressions - exercise more regularly, complain of fewer illnesses and symptoms, and feel better about their overall lives and experiences. In other words, they express more wellness, fulfillment, happiness, connection and a complete sense of well being. Why ? Because they often say "Thank You" which creates positive energy.
How can we make a daily habit of becoming more thankful?
Here's a suggestion. Keep and write in a book or journal and label it : 'My Gratitude's' or 'Thankfulness'. Of course it's your book, so you can name it whatever you wish. And practice "Giving Thanks".
I find that my clients who are anxious or depressed and keep a "Gratitude Journal" begin to like keeping a gratitude journal and then see themselves using this skill in everyday life. There's only one rule to this, which is; don't write down negative thoughts- only positive ones. A while back I read that you should write 5 things to be grateful for at the end of each day. So, you could keep your journal right beside your bed, and after your prayers if that is your custom, you will probably be in the mood to write what you are grateful for.
Grateful people "feel more alert, alive, interested, enthusiastic. They also feel more connected to others," said Emmons, who has written two books on the science of gratitude and often studies the effects of those gratitude diaries.
"Gratitude also serves as a stress buffer," Emmons said in an e-mail interview. "Grateful people are less likely to experience envy, anger, resentment, regret and other unpleasant states that produce stress."
Remember this is your journal, so do it anyway that works for you. Try it and see how it begins to transform your life. Now, what do you record in your book or journal? Remember, it is yours so that is your choice. But, just think about what you are truly thankful for.
Here are just some examples of what I am so thankful for. I think about my family and friends. I am very thankful for them. I know that I won't have my parents too much longer so I am thankful that they are still here. I am thankful for getting home safely when I arrive home from anywhere. I am thankful for flowers, their beauty as well as their fragranc; even though I have allergies. I am thankful that I have a home, with a roof over my head, as lots of people around the world don't have what I have. I am thankful that I have good food to eat, and proper whole food based supplements that I can take to keep me healthy. That being said, I am very thankful that at my age I am healthy and do not need to take any medications. I pray that it holds. I am thankful when I look into the beautiful faces of those dear to me. I am thankful for true friends that are there any time of the day or night that I might need them. And believe me I have called on some of them during times of stress. They know who they are. I am thankful that I have fulfilling work that helps others and gives me true satisfaction. I really enjoy helping people and I enjoy any physical outdoor work I do.
I think you get the idea. When you begin to remind yourself of what you have to be thankful for, you develop an attitude of thankfulness, and you begin to transform your life. This transformation is a good one as it gives you a sense of well being, happiness and true joy.
This feeling is a wonderful blessing. It is the blessing of having a rich life, by means of the cultivation of our own perspective. So, transform your life by putting more thankfulness or gratitude in it. Your health and those that you love are worth every effort and some expense.
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation
is not to utter words, but to live by them." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Souces :
http://www.squidoo.com/topics/healthy-living/mental-health/personal-development
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/grand-rounds/201111/giving-thanks
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/22/give-thanks-health-psyche-brain-emotion_n_1108590.html
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