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Never underestimate the power of gratitude.
05-11-09 RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Many people today are struggling to make do with less. What’s the secret to finding happiness when you’re coping with loss? If we observe people who know how to be happy, we find that they make a point of being grateful for whatever they have. And it’s not related to how much material wealth you may or may not possess. A growing body of research has demonstrated that grateful people are happier than their less-grateful counterparts, regardless of their income level.
THE DETAILS: Gratitude has also been found to be a powerful antidote to depression. Martin Seligman, PhD, a pioneer in the positive psychology movement, and colleagues at University of Pennsylvania delivered gratitude instructions to 50 severely depressed visitors to a self-help website. They recommended that individuals take time each day to write down three things that went well that day, and why they thought so. Fifteen days later, 94 percent of the 50 individuals reported feeling significantly less depressed. Their scores on a widely used depression inventory dropped by 50 percent—equivalent to improvement seen with medication treatment or psychotherapy, although the latter interventions generally take longer to work. Individuals in a placebo-controlled group who wrote down three childhood memories each day did not experience an improvement in their depressive symptoms. More important, the effects for the group practicing gratitude lasted for a full 6 months. The researchers repeated the same study several months later with a different group of depressed Web users and obtained substantially the same results. Seligman’s group also found that writing in a gratitude journal had a mood-boosting effect for depressed patients in a 12-week therapy group, as well as for patients in individual therapy.
WHAT IT MEANS: Cultivating gratitude is a powerful way to overcome adversity and depression. By choosing to focus on your blessings, rather than ruminating on your disappointments and deficits, you nourish positive feelings about yourself, your life, and others. As an ongoing attitude, gratitude will help you cultivate happiness throughout your life. It is no accident that the individuals in Seligman’s study maintained their gains long after they completed the online intervention. Gratitude is habit-forming. The number of things you can be grateful for is infinite. As a happiness resource, gratitude is free and inexhaustible.
There are many ways you can weave gratitude into the fabric of your life:
• Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down three things you experienced that you feel grateful for. They could be as varied as the buds appearing on the trees in your yard and appreciation for the kindness extended to you by a stranger. As you chronicle the things you feel grateful for, make a point of not repeating any of the prior entries in your journal.
• Write and deliver a gratitude letter to someone in your life whom you have not properly thanked for what they have given to you. You can deliver the letter in person or read it over the telephone. It’s a powerful experience, for you as well as for the person you’re thanking.
• Say grace before each meal to express your thanks for the food you are about to eat.
Use whatever language you’re comfortable with, whether religious, spiritual, or just an informal expression of gratitude for the meal.
• Make a point of thanking anyone who serves you in any way—the cashier at the checkout counter, your child for clearing the dinner table, the tech-support person who helped you fix your computer.
• Take gratitude breaks during the course of each day to simply appreciate the myriad blessings, large and small, that are present in your life.
Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, is a Rodale.com advisor and director of life management at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA. His column, “Mind-Body-Mood Advisor,” appears weekly on Rodale.com.
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thank you
I agree with Lulu....there are so many things in the world that are happening that are far more sadness to what you maybe feeling. Look around you
and see where you are.....if you have shelter, food to eat, and family to love then be grateful....some people in the world don't have this.
Gratitude
God is so powerful,
and like art, singing, music and community, all animals with a conscience need to create a connection with these amazing powers.
Be proud of your self or be grateful for your existence.
Try to accept that your LIFE is a journey of experiences,
not a game of counting wins and losses.
What happens after this life? - i wish you well.
Hope this is of interest.
Petesa
Happiness is a choice be grateful
Gratitude ia a choice, but the results are healing and release the chemicals in our brain to prevent and help with depression.
Resolutions for Avoiding Misery
Choose to love - rather than hate
Choose to smile - rather than frown
Choose to build - rather than destroy
Choose to perservere - rather than quit
Choose to be grateful - rather than gossip
Choose to heal - rather than wound
Choose to respond - rather than react
Choose to act - rather than delay
Choose to forgive - rather than curse
Choose to pray - rather than despair.
Thank you,
OOOPs...meant to write "actual"
Sorry..."actual" (typing too fast!)
Gratitude
It's about time someone wrote something meaningful..I guess there is hope for the world after all. I practice gratitude everyday. I thank God everyday for the gifts he has given me and expect nothing in return for what i give/bring to others. I constantly preach to my children that it's not "all about them". That even though my world may focus on them because of my love for them, the world outside will not. The world will become a better place if we get back to caring about one another..for the actually sake of caring!
Gratitude
God does exist!
Look around you. Don't focus on the dirty or ugly. Look at nature for example to get started. No, really LOOK at it! You have so much to be grateful for...
In the midst of an infinite universe, on a huge planet placed exactly in a solar system so you won't crispy critter or freeze, then placed in a country where hopefully you enjoy freedom that was paid for by someone else, then in the middle of a city where you have shelter and clothing and food and I hope friends who love you...
Oh yes God Exists! That's just way too many things to have happened from an amoeba evolving!
Take care,
and be grateful!
GOD
HE DOES EXIST AND HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE
Existence is futile?
God believes in you
posting on being grateful
Yes, I too suffer from Depression and am taking meds that work well for me. I agree whole heartedly in what you have said. I always look for the good in every situation and if I cannot find good, I kind find humor.
For example, I was talking with my Mother In Law the other night and telling her about the absolutely horrible day I was having, it was one of those days where everything I touched broke, the kids were behaving horribly and I was really burned out. As I hung up the phone there was a loud thunderclap and it began pouring rain. I realized my running shoes were on the steps outside gettng soaked and would be useless to run in the next morning.
I finally just laughed at absurdity of my situation and promised myself I would have a better tommmorow.
Grateful
Yes, I am grateful for what God has given me. But I am lonely. "Things" can not assuage the emptiness of having no one who cares. Be grateful for those you love and who love you. Time is fleeting and precious.......
God
Yes He/She does!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ugh
god doesnt exist!!!
Amen
I made it a habit to thank God every single day for what I have; family, friends, a job, a home and so much more blessings that keep coming my way.
Gratitude and happiness
Thank you for this article. I have learned first hand the importance of the things that are truely real in life, and my lessons were hard earned. I am blessed with a family, and friends, who I came to learn cared for me, not for what I could provide, or give them, but rather for who I was to them when I had nothing more to offer them but myself. They have made me wealthy with their love,friendship,generosity, and spirit. And I am deeply grateful.
We are never alone, or truely lost. And when you think you have nothing left, give what is left...your friendship,your compassion,
your love, and your heart felt gratitude.
Thank you...
being grateful
Nowadays we get ove-whelmed by the depressing news all over the world . People losing jobs ; and their homes . It all originated from the greed of the Wall Street, super rich executives who don't seem to be satisfied with wealth that they will probably never get around to spending in their life time. What do we need as human beings? We can only eat that much, sleep on one bed and one body .... no matter how many sets of Prada outfits , LV handbags you have. It is time for us to go back and be grateful and thankful for the beauty of the world, love of our family and the wonders of good books ; music. Live simply , and that is the key to happiness.
Gratitude
Sixty-one going-on sixty-two. Grateful for life. Lost Dad when he was fifty-seven. High blood pressure, diabetes heart disease run in the family. Glad I've made it this far. Grateful for the life that I have. Grateful for the quality of life I have. Have learned what was said in article. It's not really about the "stuff" that you've got. Grateful for my ability to see things around me that give me pleasure. Grateful for the ability to enjoy things - nature, kids, my wife, our life together. Grateful for the support of friends and co-workers in rough times.
I say a prayer of thanks at least once a day. Sometimes more if something special happens.
BEING THANKFUL
I AM THANKFUL
Mind-Body-Mood
I'm genetically predesposed to depression and an on an anti-depressant medication that works well for me. What I do is to be aware of people I meet, friends and strangers alike, and really look at them. I always find something I like or that distinguishes them. I contgratulate them.
For example, a teller at my bank had a very nice shirt and tie combination and I told him it really impressed me. He really appreciated the attention.
Phillip
Gratitude
Enjoyed reading this article. Starting today, I will be keeping a Gratitude Journal. :)
Gratitude
What a wonderful reminder!
Gratitude and Happiness article
Thank you for this article!