Gratitude: A key to Happiness 1

First, I would like to say thank you for taking time to read my post despite the fact that I have been MIA for a while now. I am indeed very grateful :-)

Our discussion for today is gratitude. Have you ever noticed that when you show gratitude to someone, not only does it make the person feel good, you also feel good? In essence, that means gratitude produces win-win situations, as Dr. Shrand, a Harvard Psychiatrist put it in his book Manage Your Stress: Overcoming Stress in the Modern World, "In our hearts of hearts, we just want to be valued by another person" he also said that "Being valued is the essence of gratitude". So you see, gratitude is a key to happiness because when you feel valued, you will be happy.

Like I wrote in one of my previous posts. I used to worry a lot (Read it here) and by that, the devil kept me stressed and stole my attention from all the things I had that I was meant to be grateful for. Instead of gratitude and happiness, I was constantly stressed and worried about everything that could have been better. But today, I thank God that all that has been replaced with the peace of God, and I must tell you that for God to do His part, I had to make a decision to conciously make an effort of not taking even little things for granted but give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5: 18). This has taught me that I have all I need even though it might not be all I want, that there is something to be grateful for in every moment because even in unpleasant situations, if you pay close attention, there are little things to be thankful for.

We need to however be aware that giving thanks is quite different from having an attitude of gratitude. Quite often, we say thank you out of mere courtesy, because it is the ideal thing to do. Take for instance, you got a gift from your parents but that wasn't what you would have chosen if you had your way, I know you would say thank you but deep down in your heart, you are not grateful for what you got. Maybe you would be grateful if you took a moment to think of other people who do not have the opportunity to get such good gifts like you, or better still, of those who have no parents at all. Just like I read sometime ago, "gratitude comes from a deeper place that knows the story could have ended differently".

Quite a number of studies have been carried out by researchers to show that when the habit of gratitude is cultivated, it can increase the levels of happiness and well-being of people. It has even been proven that grateful people are the happiest and most productive, and also that when you express gratitude to others, it increases your levels of optimism, energy and empathy. Gratitude is so good that it has been considered to be one of the main strategies necessary to stay healthy, have joy and contribute to the happiness of those around us. I know i'm beginning to sound like a teacher now, but I just wanted to let you know how much cultivating a grateful habit can impact your life positively. It is one subject that religion and the world have come to agree on, which as you know does not happen often.

 

Since I have agreed to work with God in constantly reminding you of the things that matter in life, I therefore use this opportunity to ask that you make a decision to be grateful for everything. By so doing, I promise you will realise how much happier you can be and how much better life can get. If you take a moment to count your blessings instead of your problems, you will be on your way to living a much healthier life. I know its not as easy as it sounds but like Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do", so make an effort to always see the cup as half full instead of half empty or better still, be grateful that you even have a cup to fill.

...To be continued