Chris Goins
Is there ONE HABIT that can dramatically impact your physical health, mental health, overall attitude, work performance, energy levels and personal relationships?
According to Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologists and researcher at the University of California, Davis, the answer is a huge, “YES!”
Emmons is perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on GRATITUDE. His research has revealed that EXPRESSING GRATITUDE can have a dynamic effect on your mental, physical and relational health and well-being.
Furthermore, he found that being GRATEFUL also impacts our overall experience of HAPPINESS, and these effects tend to be long-lasting. [1], [2]
Emmons’ work lays out the following life-changing BENEFITS of GRATITUDE:
- Improved physical, emotional and social WELL-BEING, [3]
- Greater OPTIMISM and HAPPINESS,
- Improved feelings of CONNECTION [especially during] times of loss or crises,
- Increased SELF-ESTEEM,
- Heightened ENERGY levels,
- STRENGTHENED heart, immune system, and decreased blood pressure,
- Improved emotional and academic INTELLIGENCE,
- Expanded capacity for FORGIVENESS,
- Decreased STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION and headaches,
- Improved self-care and greater likelihood to exercise,
- Heightened SPIRITUALITY – ability to see something bigger than ourselves. [4]
That’s the life-changing power of GRATITUDE. Of being GRATEFUL. Of simply sharing a sincere, “Thank You!”
Two authors described the power of GRATITUDE like this:
“Gratitude can help us transform our fears into courage, our anger into forgiveness, our isolation into belonging, and another’s pain into healing. Saying ‘Thank you’ every day will create feelings of love, compassion and hope.”
—Nina Lesowitz and Mary Beth Sammon, Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude [5]
All the research points to these INCREDIBLE FACTS:
- Gratitude affects our ATTITUDE and levels of happiness. [8]
Maybe this is one of the reasons Paul, who wrote about half of the New Testament, gave Christians this commandment. Yeah, it’s not a suggestion. It’s actually a command:
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” —1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 NLT
In other words, “Regardless of what’s going on in your life, always be giving thanks. Always practice gratitude. You don’t have to be grateful for that particular circumstance, but you need to be grateful in the middle of it.”
HOW TO GET STARTED?
Here are three simple steps you can put into practice today.
- START your day with GRATITUDE.
Larry Kendall, one of the founders of The Group, Inc, a thriving real estate company and the creator of Ninja Selling, believes that every person should begin their day with the following practices.
- Gratitude — giving thanks for what you have, for the people around you and for who you are.
- Positive Reading — Reading something positive to start your day. For me, this includes the Bible.
- Affirmations — Statements of faith about who you are and what you want to accomplish
- Writing two personal notes — Expressing gratitude by focusing on others
Notice, that at the top of the list is GRATITUDE.
- Say “THANK YOU!” as often and appropriate as possible.
To your spouse for the cup of coffee.
To your kids for cleaning their room.
To your boss for your job.
To your team members for helping to carry the load.
To the girl behind the counter at Walmart or Publix for the way they do their job!
- WRITE 3-5 NOTES DAILY (texts or emails count, too) to express your gratitude and thankfulness to someone who has made difference in your life.
Frank Blake, former CEO of Home Depot, estimates that during his seven-year stint as CEO of HD, he hand wrote over 25,000 notes to HD employees, everyone from district managers to hourly employees. [12]
Inc. Magazine indicates that employees who feel appreciated are happier, more engaged, more productive and more likely to contribute to the organization in positive ways. [13]
The simple habit of GRATITUDE can completely revolutionize your life.
So, with that in mind…
THANK YOU for reading.
THANK YOU for believing.
THANK YOU for putting gratitude into practice — in your family, at your workplace, in this world.
It makes you better.
It makes me better.
It makes this world so much better.
THANK YOU!
[1] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-transformative-power-_2_b_6982152
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLjVOvZufNM
[3] https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good/
[4] https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good/
[5] Lesowitz, Nina; Sammons, Mary Beth. Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude . Viva Editions. Kindle Edition.
[6] https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_helps_your_friendships_grow#:~:text=A%20great%20deal%20of%20research,to%20be%20more%20helpful%20coworkers.
[7] https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
[8] https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
[9] https://namica.org/blog/the-impact-of-gratitude-on-mental-health/#:~:text=Research%20shows%20it%20can%20reduce,(Berkeley’s%20Greater%20Good%20Magazine).
[10] https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain
[11] https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-gratitude-practice#takeaway
[12] https://www.inc.com/elisa-boxer/home-depots-ceo-did-this-25000-times-science-says-you-should-do-it-too.html#:~:text=During%20his%20seven%2Dyear%20stint,stores%2C%22%20he%20told%20me.
[13] https://www.inc.com/elisa-boxer/home-depots-ceo-did-this-25000-times-science-says-you-should-do-it-too.html#:~:text=During%20his%20seven%2Dyear%20stint,stores%2C%22%20he%20told%20me.