Say thank you. Feeling gratitude, this feeling of gratitude towards others or towards life, is an attitude that is sometimes difficult to adopt, as we are too busy blaming ourselves or dwelling on the negative of a situation. However, since the start of confinement, taking the time each evening to thank the caregivers positively colors the daily life and brings appeasement. Many psychologists agree on the benefits to be gained from a regular practice of gratitude.
Gratitude, a bulwark against stress and the negative
For psychiatrist Christophe André, gratitude is “beneficial to self-esteem, because it increases the feeling of belonging to a group, to a lineage, to a human community”, recalls Dr. Christine Angelard, in her new book “Healing Gratitude” published by Eyrolles.
Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, psychology researcher and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, is convinced that gratitude makes you happier. Robert Emmons, a psychology researcher at the University of California, began in the 90s to look into the benefits of gratitude on health and well-being, paving the way for a body of research on the subject. Emmons has proven that the habit of practicing mindful gratitude makes you more resistant to stress. This posture would also help to reduce the feeling of depression after three weeks of practice, according to the work of Irish researchers published in 2015 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Saying thank you, feeling gratitude places a positive intention in our neural circuits. In other words, as meditation, the practice of gratitude develops neural plasticity. It trains and reconditions our brain to think more positively.
A feeling of fullness
Focus your mind on the good in your lifeprovides a feeling of calmand increasing fullness self-esteem. In agreement with oneself, one becomes more resistant to the temptations to fill a vacuum and which can push us to excessive behaviors of “overconsumption” (games, drugs, shopping, sex, alcohol, food), points out Christine Angelard in her book .
Dr. Emmons’ work also concluded that showing gratitude promotes better sleep. What could be better than falling asleep with positive ideas in mind!
Gratitude and generosity
The ability towonder of small daily newspapersplaces us in a posture that connects us to others and promotes a better relationship. By welcoming the positive, we attract the positive. In this, gratitude takes us out of isolation, makes us feel more alive but also more humble in the face of life. This virtuous circle also makes us more generous towards others.
“Thank you” to appease the conflicts in the couple
Training in gratitude reflects and positively influences the couple. Researchers from the University of Georgia observed in 2015 that the expression of gratitude in the couple, such as saying “thank you” to one’s partner could defuse conflict in the coupleand restore communication in the event of a crisis.
As we have seen, gratitude is a tool of positive psychology and a quality that is beneficial in every respect and that we all gain from cultivating.
Thanks to Dr Christine Angelard, author of Healing Gratitude (Editions Eyrolles).
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