Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC

September holds space for World Gratitude Day…

WHY WE LOVE WORLD GRATITUDE DAY

It is an opportunity for self-reflection

World Gratitude Day gives us a wonderful opportunity to pause, reflect, and consider the positive things in our life. It allows us to think about what we’re grateful for or even change something about ourselves for the better. After all, it’s your world, and you have to live in it! You can choose to live in a way that makes your life happier.

It’s a good time to express gratitude

It is a day for expressing gratitude and being kind to each other. Many people believe that once you commit a simple act of kindness for someone, you don’t need to repeatedly manifest that kind of kindness. However, according to traditions, performing kind acts every day can eventually lead you to find inner peace and happiness.

It’s a time to understand the importance of being grateful

We should practice gratitude. People are happier when appreciated, and businesses thrive when customer service is excellent. Indeed, gratitude is a parent of all virtues. World Gratitude Day helps more people understand the importance of acknowledging and being grateful to others.

WORLD GRATITUDE DAY ACTIVITIES

Write and send thank you notes

One of the easiest ways to show gratitude is by writing letters, cards, or emails to important people in your life. You can write about anything that comes to mind — your favorite memories together, what they taught you, how much they mean to you, e.t.c. Don’t worry if it’s not eloquent — be sincere and honest with your appreciation.

Show gratitude to everyone

Show gratitude to everybody you meet today, and tell them it’s World Gratitude Day. Appreciate the people who contribute to your life in different ways. It could be the mail carrier, the telephone technician, the trash collectors, or even the chef and waiters at your favorite restaurant.

Appreciate yourself

You’re not perfect, but you can be thankful for the good things about yourself. Write down all of your good traits or actions. They don’t have to be big things. They can be simple or complex. If no one appreciates you for who you are today, you were grateful for and kind to yourself.

5 BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE

1. It makes us happier

By simply journaling for five minutes a day about what we are grateful for, we can increase our overall happiness by 10%.

2. It enhances our positive emotions

When we feel grateful, we are less likely to feel envious of others — grateful people experience a wider variety of emotions, and they are more likely to bounce back from difficult experiences.

3. It makes people like us

More grateful people have access to a broader social network, more friends, and better relationships.

4. It reduces impatience

People who are more appreciative of what they have, tend to be less dissatisfied and more aware of opportunities during economic decisions, leading to better decisions and less pressure to seek immediate gratification.

5. It reduces your blood pressure

If you want to lower your blood pressure, try counting your blessings daily.

Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC