What is Gratitude and Its Role in our Life

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOVRos1uA1U/Wm7OZ2LAmhI/AAAAAAAAG8k/Qi5fjnYwV2wyaSSC_dDAH9aHcJtJWofiACLcBGAs/s1600/gratitude.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="1600" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lOVRos1uA1U/Wm7OZ2LAmhI/AAAAAAAAG8k/Qi5fjnYwV2wyaSSC_dDAH9aHcJtJWofiACLcBGAs/s1600/gratitude.jpg" /></a></div> <br /> <b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Gratitude and Its Role in our Life</span> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b><br /> <b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"quality of being thankful"</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /> </span></b><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gratitude is an emotion we feel in response to receiving something good which is undeserved.</b></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Article contains:</span></b></span><br /> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.apnafood.net/2018/01/what-is-gratitude-and-its-role-in-our.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Purpose of Gratitude</b></span></span></a></li> <span style="color: blue;"> </span> <li><a href="http://www.apnafood.net/2018/01/what-is-gratitude-and-its-role-in-our.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Religious/Spiritual Perspectives on Gratitude</b></span></span></a></li> <span style="color: blue;"> </span> <li><a href="http://www.apnafood.net/2018/01/what-is-gratitude-and-its-role-in-our.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Benefits of Gratitude</b></span></span></a></li> <span style="color: blue;"> </span> <li><a href="http://www.apnafood.net/2018/01/what-is-gratitude-and-its-role-in-our.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The Effects of Gratitude</b></span></span></a></li> <span style="color: blue;"> </span> <li><a href="http://www.apnafood.net/2018/01/what-is-gratitude-and-its-role-in-our.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Apply it to Your Life</b></span></span></a></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>This article will highlight the role of gratitude in our life. Before we can get to any of that, though, it is important to define what we are talking about when we discuss gratitude.<br /><br />“an emotion that is typically evoked when one receives costly, unexpected, and intentionally rendered benefits, and is thought to play a key role in regulating the initiation and maintenance of social relationships” (Forster et al., 2017).<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Purpose of Gratitude!</span></span> </b></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>People use gratitude to form new social relations, or to build upon and make current ones better. Acts of gratitude can be used to apologize, make amends or help solve other problems people may face. Simply being grateful for being alive is a great way to motivate oneself to seize the day. The idea that tomorrow is not guaranteed is a strong motivator to some people.<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Religious/Spiritual Perspectives on Gratitude!</span></span><br /> </b></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Many philosophers historically recognized the importance of gratitude, so have many religious and spiritual movements, like Islam, Buddhism, Christianity. many religious discussions of gratitude in the past have been of the prescriptive sort, focusing on the importance of being grateful to a higher power. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism in particular stressed the importance of gratitude for the path to a good life.<br /><br />As for Islam, the purpose of each of the five daily prayers is not to ask Allah for anything, but to show gratitude towards Allah (Emmons & Crumpler, 2000). This shows that gratitude not only plays a major role in these three religions, but that gratitude plays a uniquely crucial role in each religion.</b></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><br />The fact that gratitude has long been considered an important aspect of religion and continues to be considered as such indicates that gratitude plays an immense role in faith and spirituality.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Benefits of Gratitude!</span></span></span></b></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCmz8Q_trec/Wm7OZuyjPFI/AAAAAAAAG8o/NpQNJcgD2rk7YU3X8XxYewlVARLuxbhRgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Benefits-of-Gratitude5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="701" data-original-width="757" height="370" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCmz8Q_trec/Wm7OZuyjPFI/AAAAAAAAG8o/NpQNJcgD2rk7YU3X8XxYewlVARLuxbhRgCEwYBhgL/s400/Benefits-of-Gratitude5.png" width="400" /></a></span></b></div> <b><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Better Physical and Mental Health</span></b><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Recent research performed in 2015 showed that patients with heart failure, who completed gratitude journals showed reduced inflammation, improved sleep and better moods thus dramatically reducing their symptoms heart failure after only 8 weeks.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude makes people like us.</span><br />Gratitude makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and improve our marriage.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude makes us happier. </span></b></span><br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Gratitude improves our health, relationships, emotions, personality, and career.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude boosts our career.</span><br />Gratitude makes you a more effective manager, helps you network, increases your decision making capabilities, increases your productivity, and helps you get mentors and proteges. As a result, gratitude helps you achieve your career goals, as well as making your workplace a more friendly and enjoyable place to be.<br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude strengthens our emotions.</span><br />Gratitude reduces feelings of envy, makes our memories happier, lets us experience good feelings, and helps us bounce back from stress.<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Effects of Gratitude!</span></span></span></b></span><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fRBD4YAdVLM/Wm7OZRaI0RI/AAAAAAAAG8s/89Pid2aPNIo_ie7qkNjLKg1e5bpSQepQACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20170804_112543_526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fRBD4YAdVLM/Wm7OZRaI0RI/AAAAAAAAG8s/89Pid2aPNIo_ie7qkNjLKg1e5bpSQepQACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20170804_112543_526.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></b></div> <b><br />In a study by Seligman, Steen, and Peterson (2005), participants were given one week to write and then deliver a letter of thanks in person to someone who had been especially kind to them, but who had never been properly thanked. The gratitude visit involves three basic steps: </b><br /> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>First, think of someone who has done something important and wonderful for you, yet who you feel you have not properly thanked.</b></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Next, reflect on the benefits you received from this person, and write a letter expressing your gratitude for all they have done for you.</b></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Finally, arrange to deliver the letter personally, and spend some time with this person talking about what you wrote.</b></span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>The results showed that participants who engaged in the letter-writing exercise reported more happiness for one month after the intervention compared to a control group. Expressing gratitude not only helps you to appreciate what you’ve received in life, it also helps you to feel that you’ve given something back to those who helped you.<br /><br />Hand-delivering a letter of thanks absolves you of any residual guilt you might feel for not having thanked this person previously, and fosters a sincere, heartfelt interaction that can really strengthen your relationship.</b></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Social effects of gratitude.</span><br />Gratitude can be observed at an individual level, with its subsequent effects, or at a greater social level.Research has shown that the practice of gratitude can create a greater social circle of good.<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: black;">Apply it to Your Life!</span> </span></span></b></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Before you go to sleep, simply think of the positive things that happened during the day; things that you are grateful for. Take a moment to do this every night. <br /><br />If you have children, take a moment with them before bed-time to ask them to think about something they’re grateful for themselves. Don’t forget to set a good example by sharing what you’re grateful for!<br /><br />If you feel that you have neglected to thank someone for being especially kind or helpful, don’t focus on feeling bad about it. Just write them a letter explaining your gratitude and deliver it in person, if possible. </b></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Article by:</span> psychologist Sadia Javaid</b></span>

What is Gratitude and Its Role in our Life

Gratitude and Its Role in our Life   "quality of being thankful"   Gratitude is an emotion we feel in response to receiving ...

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