Why Is It So Important to Be Grateful and How to Become One?

Last week I received a lot of autoreplies on my emails from colleagues in the States that they are not available because they are celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Of course, I was glad for them. First, it's a good family tradition. Second, there is one day a year when people express gratitude or at least think about it. It's important! And then I thought why is it so important after all.

I did some research. It turns out that there is scientific evidence that feeling of gratitude is beneficial for a person who experiences and expresses it.

• Feeling grateful relieves stress

Feeling grateful can help relieve stress, anxiety and depression according to a University of Warwick study. Another research shows that grateful people are less aggressive and less likely to feel resentful.

• It will help you be happy

According to a study from Kent State University, people who thank others for something are more likely to be happy. Gratitude can be practiced in many ways. For example, in this study participants became happier by writing thank-you letters to people who had a positive impact on their lives. So the next time you have a bad day, write a letter to someone you really appreciate. Caution! This will work only if you are sincere.

• It fosters friendship

Another study found that people who are grateful to their acquaintances are more likely to build long-term friendships with them.

• It's good for metabolism

It's hard to believe, but it has been proven by scientists. Feeling of gratitude increases the level of activity in the hypothalamus which speeds up the metabolism.

• It boosts self-esteem

Research has shown that expressing gratitude reduces social comparisons. As a result, grateful people have higher self-esteem.

• It improves sleep

Feeling of gratitude contributes to the overall psychological stability of a person which allows him/her to have a longer and sound sleep.

• It increases attractiveness

Research has shown that when a person is genuinely grateful, it makes them sexier and more attractive. Gratitude also activates the reward centers in the brain which makes life more enjoyable.

• Gratitude is contagious

People who are often thanked do the same to other people.

How can you become more grateful?

• Make a gratitude list

You don't have to wait until New Year or Thanksgiving to write down what you are grateful for. Take a notebook and make this list once a week. Write as many points as possible, no matter how big or small they are. By writing down everything you are grateful for, you will learn to appreciate it even more.

• Be grateful for the friendship

Many people tend to take friendship for granted. Perhaps you believe that your friends will always be by your side. This is not true. And if you take your friends for granted for too long, they will begin to disappear from your life. So every time you meet friends, think about how much they mean to you, how much they've done for you, and how lucky you are to have such wonderful people in your life.

• Be grateful for your family

Your family is another good you should be grateful for. Let the people closest to you who raised and helped you feel your love and know that you appreciate them. Take the time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, help them with the housework, call or write if you live far away from them.

Saying "thank you" to a stranger is sometimes much easier than thanking your loved one. Express gratitude to friends and family more often.

• Be grateful for all the good things people have done for you

Imagine how many people contributed to who you ultimately became, even if you never realized how much work they did and how much they helped you. Realizing that without them your life would have turned out very differently is an important step towards becoming a grateful person.

• Stop playing the victim

Ungrateful people tend to blame the whole world for their problems, they don't even try to look for the reason in themselves. Focus all your attention on how the world and the people in it are helping you make your life better and easier.

• Stop whining

All people suffer. Rudeness and negativity from other people, traffic jams, bad weather, colds and so on. Do not support negative discussions, let's try to bring more good to this world together. Usually nothing happens after a complaint and the world does not change for the better. Just another outburst of negativity and that's it. Talk about good things, and they happen to you much more often.

• Say "Thank you" to strangers

Thank a barista who make you coffee. Express your gratitude to a cashier. Say "Thank you" to a person who hold the door for you. Do not skimp on kind words for a taxi driver who brings you home.

• Volunteering

It is a great way to express how grateful you are for everything the world has given you.

• Yoga

Yoga classes will bring you closer to becoming a grateful person. By practicing different movements, you will soon be able to establish a connection between your mind and body, which will teach you to appreciate every breath, every movement, and every person who is near you. Yoga will remind you that the world has everything you need and you have everything the world needs.

Learn more about the other benefits of yoga:

• Act of kindness

Help your neighbor find the missing dog. Help a girl in the coffee shop who spilled coffee. Help an old woman carry a heavy bag. There are always opportunities to do a good deed, just be more attentive and they will find you themselves!

• Give your friend a gift as a token of attention

Giving gifts for no reason is the prerogative of grateful people. If you really want your friends to know how much they mean to you, then you don't have to wait for their birthday to give them a gift.

Thanks for reading! I am grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you.