Carol McClain

Gratitude Improves Psychological Health

By Carol McClain @carol_mcclain

Gratitude improves psychological health. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Robert Emmons, a leading gratitude researcher, has conducted multiple studies on the link between gratitude and well-being. His research confirms that gratitude effectively increases happiness and reduces depression. (http://bit.ly/2sRBIR0)

Who doesn’t want to feel emotionally strong?

Who wants to hold onto toxic emotions?

Anyone here want to be unhappy and depressed?

Why not try gratitude?

Basically it takes at least 66 days to start a new habit (unless it’s eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at bedtime: 1 day). It can take longer. Why not improve your mental health with gratitude.

Look at things not only from your own perspective, but from others’.

Five things I’m grateful for that affects others:

1. Faith based groups who help people conquer addiction. Our county, at one point, had the third highest opiod addiction rate in the nation. We have groups like  Celebrate Recovery, Connections to Recovery and a plethora of organizations–usually faith based– that help people conquer it. It you’ve ever seen a reformed addict, you know these organizations rock.
2. Feeding the homeless. The churches in our area take turns feeding the homeless on Sunday nights. There’s no preaching and no judgment. Not only do the downtrodden get food, the members of the congregation talk with them and offer friendship.
3. Free lunch and breakfast at the schools. Sadly, many parents abuse their kids. SNAP benefits go to buy cigarettes and beer and drugs and the kids go hungry. If they get breakfast and lunch at school, they don’t starve.
4. The EPA. Many of our products cost more because of environmental protections. It’s good we have the EPA keeping toxins out of our water and air. They make our lives livable.
5. Dovetailing with the EPA is OSHA. We offer our workers safe environments–unlike factories and facilities in Southeast Asia and China. I like that children in the US don’t lose their fingers working in the mills. We get breaks and half-hour lunch periods. How good it is to work knowing we’re not going to die doing it.

 

As a challenge, tell me something that makes you grateful that helps someone else.