Gratitude as a Natural Anti-depressant
What is gratitude? In short it is “simply taking time to think about all the positive things in your life.” It goes beyond just telling others of what you are thankful for but that is not a bad thing either! It is one of the most overlooked tools for increasing happiness, contentment, and optimism. The best part? Having an attitude of gratitude is free but the benefits are endless, impacting so many areas of life. When you feel and express gratitude in daily life, you rewire your brain in ways that boost mental health, bodily functions, and overall well-being. Gratitude is a habit to be cultivated and a muscle to be developed. Because thankfulness and appreciation are such effective tools for mental and emotional well-being, it’s important to keep these practices in mind throughout our day. Studies have demonstrated that at the brain level, moral judgments involving feeling of gratefulness are evoked in the right anterior temporal cortex (Zahn et al., 2009). In the same study, it was revealed that the reason why some of us are naturally more grateful than others, results from the neurochemical differences at the Central Nervous System. People who express and feel gratitude more often have a higher volume of grey matter in the right inferior temporal gyrus (Zahn, Garrido, Moll, & Grafman, 2014).
When we express gratitude and receive the same from others, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions. This in turn makes us fell “good”. Think back to our past newsletters where we discussed how the sun, another natural enhancer of serotonin, had a direct impact on our level of depression. These neurotransmitters enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside. By consciously practicing gratitude every day, we can help these neural pathways to strengthen themselves and ultimately create permanent feelings of positivity and optimism within ourselves.
Tips and reasons to practice gratitude:
1. Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions- changing your negative thoughts. Use strategies to change these thoughts or make the have less of an effect. Try smiling, saying thank you, and setting an intention to reduce the negativity bias.
2. Express gratitude, not only to others but also to ourselves. This induces positive emotions, primarily happiness and makes us nicer, more trusting, more social and more appreciative. It can help make friends and deepen relationships.
3. Gratitude is life changing. It makes you appreciate what you have rather than worry about what you do not. It is the single most powerful source of inspiration that any person can tap into if they simply stop and pay attention to the simplistic beauty and miracle of life.
4. Remember the bad – even a crisis can make you more grateful. In some cases being grateful during hard times can help us overcome a crisis situation. By cultivating a positive attitude, one can cushion the blows we may feel during hard time.
5. It can impact your work. In a recent study, researchers found that 93% of employees who reported feeling valued said that they ae motivated to their best at work and 88% reported feeling engaged!
When we express gratitude and receive the same from others, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions. This in turn makes us fell “good”. Think back to our past newsletters where we discussed how the sun, another natural enhancer of serotonin, had a direct impact on our level of depression. These neurotransmitters enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside. By consciously practicing gratitude every day, we can help these neural pathways to strengthen themselves and ultimately create permanent feelings of positivity and optimism within ourselves.
Tips and reasons to practice gratitude:
1. Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions- changing your negative thoughts. Use strategies to change these thoughts or make the have less of an effect. Try smiling, saying thank you, and setting an intention to reduce the negativity bias.
2. Express gratitude, not only to others but also to ourselves. This induces positive emotions, primarily happiness and makes us nicer, more trusting, more social and more appreciative. It can help make friends and deepen relationships.
3. Gratitude is life changing. It makes you appreciate what you have rather than worry about what you do not. It is the single most powerful source of inspiration that any person can tap into if they simply stop and pay attention to the simplistic beauty and miracle of life.
4. Remember the bad – even a crisis can make you more grateful. In some cases being grateful during hard times can help us overcome a crisis situation. By cultivating a positive attitude, one can cushion the blows we may feel during hard time.
5. It can impact your work. In a recent study, researchers found that 93% of employees who reported feeling valued said that they ae motivated to their best at work and 88% reported feeling engaged!