Gratitude

Did you know that consciously practicing gratitude can help reduce blood pressure, improve your immune system and sleep habits? Research indicates that college students who take time to journal and reflect on positive experiences and relationships they feel grateful for also have a higher sense of self-esteem, subjective well-being, and positive affect that increases dopamine levels! These boosts that come from journaling and practicing gratitude are able to classify materials with greater flexibility, show greater interest in assigned tasks, have greater likelihood to pursue problem solving that leads to improved outcomes, and are even more likely to seek variety among healthy food choices. Finally, positive affect improves performance on tasks that require creativity and problem solving that leads to improved outcomes!

So, do you wish you could improve your health, happiness, and higher order thinking? Set a timer for ten to twenty minutes each day and write about a person or experience you feel grateful for, and start noticing positive changes in your life!

Emmons, R. A. (2013). Gratitude works!: A 21-day program for creating emotional prosperity. John Wiley & Sons.