3 Ways Gratitude leads to Positive Impact in Your Life

This is a guest post by Your Life Your Way contributor Kimberely Martinez. Want to write for YLYW? Click here for deets on how to contribute a post.

When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears. – Tony Robbins.

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Lately, the word gratitude has been used more and more frequently.

Recent scientific studies have proved gratitude has a vast array of benefits on almost all aspects of one’s life, ranging from social benefits to health and career improvements.

So, we set out to find out the biggest perks of practicing gratitude and help you apply them to your own life.

Without further ado, here is how gratitude will change your entire life:

1. Your Overall Health

What if I told you, that just by showing gratitude, such as by saying “Thank you”, can help improve your health? Several studies have been conducted focusing on the health benefits associated with gratitude which, quite surprisingly, surpassed all expectations. So, let’s take a closer look!

Happier life: One study reported its participants were, on average, 25% happier after a 10-week period of writing down their blessings daily.

Reduced stress: Once again, it was proved that counting and writing down your blessings daily leads to an activation of the relaxation response, as well as a decrease in systolic blood pressure.

Sleep better at night: The same study also concluded that 25% of patients reported less time needed to fall asleep, as well as increased sleep duration.

Increased vitality and energy: Associated with all the benefits above mentioned, several studies also reported increased vitality and energy.

2. Your Social Life

When thinking about who you would rather go for a beer after work, it’s quite easy to come to the conclusion that you would rather spend time with people you love. Gratitude can help you seem more approachable, likable, and overall improve your social skills. Keep reading to find out more!

More likable: A simple “thank you” can work wonders when connecting with others. By showing gratitude, you are also showing the other person that you value their friendship and company.

More meaningful relationships: gratitude also leads to stronger relationships with friends, family, and other loved ones as you come off as happier and more satisfied in a social setting.

Increased self-control: According to acclaimed Professor Ye Lin, “Showing that emotion can foster self-control opens up tremendous possibilities for reducing a wide range of societal ills from impulse buying and insufficient saving to obesity and smoking.

3. Your Career

The last benefit we will discuss is related to your career. In a competitive job market, it’s important to make sure you are always one step ahead at all times. This can also be achieved with gratitude. Find out how below!

Better networking skills: This tip goes hand in hand with increased likability: by showing gratitude, you also appear more open and eager to start a business relationship. It also makes you appear more professional when you show gratitude towards your co-workers.
Increased productivity: Several studies have linked gratitude to increased ability to focus and, therefore, increased productivity. It is thought that this mechanism acts both subconsciously and consciously.
Improved leadership skills: When showing gratitude towards your co-workers, they feel as if their work has been valued and therefore perceive you as not just a boss, but a leader, and someone who is willing to work with as a team in order to achieve the best possible results.

These were just some of the benefits associated with gratitude, although there are numerous more studies focusing on the different aspects of gratitude.

Most of the studies mentioned follow a simple protocol: every day for at least 10 months, write down what you are grateful for (count your blessings).

This quick and easy activity can greatly help you practice gratitude and start living a better, more fulfilling life. If you are more serious, keep a gratitude journal and start recording every day.

A year from now, when you look back you will see how profound this habit is and how much your life has changed.

Thank you for reading and hope you found this article interesting and enriching.

Author Bio: Kimberley Martinez is a writer, blogger, traveler and personal development student. She loves writing, traveling and networking with like-minded positive individuals. She also loves attending personal development seminars and listening to motivational speakers. For more of her latest work, visit worldclassseminars.com.

About this site: Hi! I’m Tia. Multi-passionate Sparklepants, Curator of Awesome. I run this website featuring kickass inspiration to help you sparkle through life, no matter what. Go here to ignite your Inner Sparkle — that shimmery part of your spirit that says YES to courage + connection, and NO WAY to ‘shoulds’ + restrictions.

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