The power of gratitude

The wise Dalai Lama once said, "The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." This quote has the power to change your thoughts and invariably your life. And that"s why this will be our discussion today. Gratitude, a word that is slowly picking pace. But what does it truly mean and why is it important? Let"s see.

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. It is more powerful than merely saying 'thank you' it translates and is visible in your thoughts and actions.

If someone were to tell you that gratitude can change your lives, you might just laugh it away. In reality, what was told to you is right and here's how.

Research conducted by Robert Emmons found that Gratitude improves physical, mental and relational well-being. Additionally, gratitude impacts your overall feeling of being happy.

Paying attention to the things that matter to us, the ones that we are grateful for induces us with positivity.

The proverb "Count your blessings and not your troubles" is a famous one, the meaning of which is not often understood by many. This proverb, in fact, is one of our early introductions to the practice of Gratitude. It simply means, when you count your blessings you have more reasons to be happy and thankful for when compared to the count of your sorrows. And that's another reason to be happy right?

Simply put, the following can be explained as the benefits of being grateful or practicing gratitude.

Benefits of Gratitude:

You become more optimistic about life and all its situations.
It improves physical, emotional, and social well-being making you a better person altogether. Someone who values even the most minute things in life.
Your self-esteem increases and you are able to connect better with yourself and your feelings even during the times of adversity and coping with losses.
A grateful person is always beaming with a smile and heightened energy levels, carrying an aura of positivity everywhere!
When you are grateful, you're happy. When you are happy your body and mind are in sync and are stronger. Gratitude is a powerful mechanism. It improves your emotional and academic intelligence. It relieves you of mental decapitators like stress, anxiety, depression and more. It also strengthens your immune system, your heart and also decreases blood pressure.
With gratitude, you are more open to forgiving. Holding grudges and pangs of revenge are things of the past. With a thankful heart, you are more likely to have a softened heart and a stronger mind who can disregard petty issues and lead a life with vigor.
Being grateful makes you value yourself more. Self-care becomes a priority and that is a plus!

All in all, gratitude is an ability to see something bigger than what meets us on the face. It's a chance to rekindle the feeling of love, warmth, and humanity that are slowly disappearing. It also is our chance to connect better with the universe.

To describe it poetically like William Arthur Ward "Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

So, it's time to give away the present we all have been holding back, knowingly or unknowingly. Let us be empowered by the power of gratitude!