Benefits from an Attitude of Gratitude
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November , 2023
Benefits from an Attitude of Gratitude
In the November 2023 Newsletter
Spark Gratitude / Give the Gift of Passion / Events
Have you noticed? When you are grateful, you feel better and so do those around you.
According to Oxford Languages, gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” As explained in Psychiatric Medical Care, “Gratitude is a Chosen State of Being. Where thankfulness is an emotion, gratitude is an attitude of appreciation under any circumstance.”
Benefits from an Attitude of Gratitude
Research from Positive Psychology, and summarized below, shows there are many benefits:
EMOTIONAL BENEFITS
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Make us happier. “Those who pay attention to what is good in their life instead of what is bad are more likely to feel positively about their life.”
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Increase our psychological wellbeing. “Gratitude can help you feel better about your circumstances, which can lead to feeling better about yourself.”
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| 3. | Enhance our positive emotions. “Gratitude reduces envy, facilitates positive emotions, and makes us more resilient.” |
SOCIAL BENEFITS
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Make people like us. “Those who are more grateful have access to a wider social network, more friends, and better relationships on average.”
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| 2. | Improve our friendships, romantic relationships, and family relationships. “Showing our gratitude to loved ones is a great way to make them feel good, make us feel good, and make the relationship better in general!” |
PERSONALITY BENEFITS
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Make us more optimistic. “Regular gratitude journaling has been shown to result in 5% to 15% increases in optimism, meaning that the more we think about what we are grateful for, the more we find to be grateful for!”
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Make us more giving. “Gratitude can decrease our self-centeredness. Evidence has shown that promoting gratitude in participants makes them more likely to share with others.”
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| 3. | Induce reduced materialism. “Those who are the most grateful also tend to be less materialistic, likely because people who appreciate what they already have are less likely to fixate on obtaining more.” |
CAREER BENEFITS
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Make us more effective managers. “Practicing gratitude enhances your managerial skills, enhancing your praise-giving and motivating abilities as a mentor and guide to the employees you manage.”
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Help us find meaning in our work. “Those who find meaning and purpose in their work are often more effective and more fulfilled throughout their career.”
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| 3. | Improve work-related mental health and reduce stress and turnover. “Employing gratitude at work can have a significant impact on staff mental health, stress, and turnover.” |
HEALTH BENEFITS
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Reduce depressive symptoms. “Those practicing gratitude journaling reported a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms for as long as the journaling continued.”
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Improve your sleep and frequency of exercise.
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| 3. | Reduce your blood pressure and improve overall physical health. “Evidence shows that the more grateful a person is the more likely he or she is to enjoy better physical health, as well as psychological health.” |
Practical Pointers to Spark Your Gratitude
REMEMBER. The Good Stuff newsletter from CNN in November offered 20 questions to spark gratitude. I found them intriguing to jog my memory, reflect, and become more grateful for my Life experience. We asked them during my family Thanksgiving dinner to stir deeper discussion. It worked. Consider and share. What’s one way you’ve grown for the better over the past few years? What’s something you have experienced that made you gasp in awe?
REFLECT ON YOUR PASSIONATE PURPOSE. Here are some questions to consider from my Pursuit of Passionate Purpose research. Think of a meaningful experience in your life that gives you hope for the future. What is something you’ve learned that has helped you know yourself better? Think of some way you’ve made a difference (even in a small way) in someone’s life or through your work.
JOURNAL. Start a Gratitude Journal. Write what you’re grateful for. Just a few minutes of journaling before bed will help you sleep better. Just a few minutes in the morning will help you have a positive and productive day.
Remember, reflect, journal, and spark gratitude. This spurs hope and more positive energy. The world needs this now. You need this now.
Give the Gift of Passion — BIGGEST SALE of the Year!
You’ve heard of the Small Business Saturday sale. I’m offering the Small Business Sales month. Yep, I run a small business. All of my ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ resources, including coaching (except books which are available directly from Amazon or your favorite book retailer) are on sale for 50% off or more. Give the gift of Passionate Purpose for your holiday, birthday, graduation, promotion, wedding, or other occasion. No other discounts apply. Limited quantities. Free shipping. Shop now.
Selected Events
December 2, 2023. Join Theresa at the Business and Professional Women of Colorado Winter Social as my guest. 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM MT in Denver. Register now for free.
December 12, 2023. Join Theresa at the Rockies Venture Club Holiday Party. 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM MT in Denver. Free, but space is limited. Register early.
Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D.
C-Level Executive, Certified Corporate Director, Certified Management Consultant®, Executive Coach, and Colorado CIO of the Year
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