What exactly is gratitude?
Gratitude, thankfulness or gratefulness, is a feeling of acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.
In a nutshell, its saying thanks. In the modern competitive world people forget to notice the small acts which need to be appreciated. A simple gesture like saying thank you seems like a burden or an egotistically incorrect gesture to make if your aim is to stay ahead.
Being shrewd is the order of the day. Has the human spirit disappeared? I don’t think so; I believe it has been suppressed by ambition. Basic human emotions when employed in the right manner can fuel ambition in the most ethical and humane ways. So let’s discuss why you should be grateful.
10 Reasons why Feeling Gratitude is Transformative
Here they are:
1) Saying thank you feels good
The moment you thank someone for something as small as bringing you water at a restaurant, you will feel a sense of humility in your heart. This will make you feel good about yourself. It’s scientifically proven that people who feel good are better achievers and have a clearer and stable state of mind than others.
2) Gratitude increases the feelings of mutual respect
Expressing feelings of gratefulness towards others at places like your work place creates an air of mutual respect. Colleagues tend to perceive you as professional and courteous which add to your credibility and increases respect towards you.
Small gestures such as sharing food or appreciating work done can lead to bigger impacts for you.
3) People tend to like you
When someone does something for you, he may not expect anything in return but a simple gesture of gratefulness will tell him that he wasn’t taken for granted and his efforts were appreciated. This increases your likeability and people come to you for counsel and suggestions because of the positive energy you reciprocate.
4) It reduces depression and increases happiness levels
Dr. Jeffrey J. Froh, assistant professor of psychology, surveyed 1,035 students ages 14 to 19 and found that grateful students reported higher grades, more life satisfaction, better social integration and less envy and depression than their peers who were less thankful and more materialistic. Feelings of gratitude had a more powerful impact on the students’ lives overall than materialism.
This is another great research which outlines why feeling grateful is so essential for all people.
5) It builds your conscience
Conscience is the ability of the human mind to understand what is morally right. People who are grateful tend to have a greater conscience than those who are not. People with good conscience are ethical, honest, reliable and dexterous people. This helps increase satisfaction in their life.
6) You feel more peaceful
Feelings of gratefulness trigger feelings of satisfaction and in turn they help us feel at peace. How often have you been rude to someone and felt bad about it because you could not apologise?
Most of the times… I think.
Gestures like apology and gratefulness help you move on, relieve stress and make you more peaceful.
“Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favourite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice” -Joseph B. Wirthlin
7) It strengthens your personal relationships
- Have you thanked your wife lately for dinner after you return famished from work?
- Have you thanked your husband for doing the dishes yesterday?
These are the small questions which matter. People complain about lost spark and mundane lives but what they forget are these small things which disappear gradually from their lives.
This is the power of gratefulness. It can make and break your relationships. So don’t forget to appreciate your partners, parents and children.
8) People appreciate you more
People like it when you give some credit when it matters. This is professional gratitude. It is required everywhere. The more you appreciate them, the more they will appreciate you!
9) You feel more spiritually connected
All the feelings of happiness, conscience, peace and satisfaction are interlinked with the spiritual wellbeing of a person. So be more grateful … increase your spiritual quotient.
10) You start noticing the small things which matter
Once you start being grateful, you notice the small things in life like the feeling of happiness good food gives, feeling of elation on seeing a rainbow or when the cool breeze brushes past your face. They start to make you happy and content and you start moving towards a greater consciousness of both your body and soul.
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” -Marcus Tullius Cicero
In their hectic life-style, people should take time off introspecting what abstract emotions and feelings they have missed by getting too absorbed by ambition. It’s the small things which create a large impact in life. We should never forget to show gratitude.
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