Thankful Thursday

Thankfulness & Gratitude

On a daily basis, most of us probably say the words “thank you” at least 10-15 times to the people that we interact with; whether it is at home, on our job, at the grocery store, etc.  But have you taken out the time to really analyze or think about what it truly means to be thankful?  That means, being thankful for the good and the not-so-good, being able to find value in our disappointments at times where it may be hard to understand why things did not go the way in which we wanted them to.  Being able to express and exude thankfulness and gratitude even with the most aggravating people and in the most infuriating situations.  What are the reasons that we need to enhance our expression of thankfulness and gratitude you may ask?  Well here are some concrete benefits that could be realized in our lives:

  1. Reduce depression
  2. Get promotions at work
  3. Improve our self-esteem
  4. Increase our energy
  5. Develop a strong immune system
  6. Decrease blood pressure
  7. Increase sleep quality
  8. Reduce and cope with negative stress
  9. Have deeper friendships
  10. Increase positivity
  11. Improve job performance
  12. Reach goals faster
  13. Increase feelings of happiness and wellbeing
  14. Reduce negative emotions of envy, hatred, and anger
  15. Increase positive emotions of love, empathy, and understanding

And who wouldn’t want those improvements for their lives.  You may think that it’s easier said than done; however, the mind-shift that it takes to increase how thankful we are for all that we have can help in all the above areas and more if we are willing to give it a try.  There are times when I am at work and I may be thoroughly aggravated and/or frustrated with a situation or a person, and I will (almost in the same breath as my vent) express how thankful and blessed I am to have the opportunity and try to refocus my mind on how I can offshift my negative energy towards something that will have a more positive result; whether it be supporting a coworker, trying to give my clients the encouragement for their situation that I would want and/or need for mine, or even telling myself that it is “okay” for me to have the feelings that I have and search for ways in which to cope with them through self-care and acceptance.  I have had quite a few bad relationships before I had the blessing of meeting my husband; and while those situations hurt and discouraged me at the time, I am thankful to have gone through it all because it allowed me to know what my emotional boundaries are and to better appreciate the woman I am today and the partner that chose me for marriage.

Many of us rely on our friends, family, coworkers, or social media to vent frustrations, but what if we also used those avenues to convey thankfulness and gratitude as well? Don’t think it will work for you?  Well, give it a try and let us hear your feedback!

~NB😘

 

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