★Gratitude and Appreciation POWER

˚ allowing all good 💗  

Posted on 23/03/2014. Last edited on 24/11/2015.

The New Science of Gratitude

Author and researcher Dr. Robert Emmons has discovered what gives life meaning: Gratitude. Emmons, a University of California, Davis professor.
DR. ROBERT EMMONS a leading scholar in the positive psychology movement. He is also editor-in-chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology. His work on gratitude has been featured in the Washington Post, the New Republic, Newsweek, and other mainstream media. Dr. Emmons has received multiple grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the John Templeton Foundation.

Emmons found that people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an “attitude of gratitude” will experience multiple advantages.

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• _Quote Gratitude improves emotional and physical health, and it can strengthen relationships and communities. Some strategies include keeping a gratitude journal, learning prayers of gratitude and using visual reminders.

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• _Quote Prosociality: People with a strong disposition toward gratitude have the capacity to be empathic and to take the perspective of others. They are rated as more generous and more helpful by people in their social networks (McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002). gratitudepower.net/science.htm
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• _Quote The disposition toward gratitude appears to enhance pleasant feeling states more than it diminishes unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life. _{Robert Emmons}

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• _Quote Grateful people are more likely to acknowledge a belief in the interconnectedness of all life and a commitment to and responsibility to others (McCullough et. al., 2002).
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are interpersonal benefits associated with gratitude, as well. Feelings of gratitude are associated with increased feelings of closeness and a desire to build or strengthen relationships with a benefactor (Algoe & Haidt, 2009). Acts of gratitude require us to admire good characteristics of other people. Doing so encourages us to become closer to them. It has the added benefit of improving mood: reflecting upon the good another had done for them elevated the moods of participants in Algoe and Haidt’s (2009) study, who were asked to recall a time in which another person had assisted them in an exemplary way. In addition, the act of contemplating times in which another person had helped these participants resulted in participants expressing a desire for moral growth and to help others, themselves. Thus, it appears that being grateful can actually encourage people to do something good for another person. Gratitude, therefore, might have important benefits to society as a whole.

It has become clear that there are a number of advantages associated with being grateful. Among other things, grateful people are happier, have stronger feelings of social support, and feel less stressed and depressed. As being grateful has so many positive attributes, it seems that intervening to increase people’s levels of gratitude may be a good way to increase their feelings of well-being. In the next section, we discuss the research that has attempted to do just that.
_{http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/science-of-happiness/positive-thinking/}

• ________________________________
  Power of Gratitude

˚ allowing all good 💗  

Posted on 23/03/2014.

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Sincere, heartfelt appreciation uplifts, inspires and drives us to achieve that which we did not think possible.

HeartMath’s Appreciation Tool™
Heart Breathing : Focus your attention on your heart area, and breathe a little deeper than normal, in for 5 or 6 seconds and out 5 or 6 seconds.
Heart Focus: Imagine breathing through your heart. Picture yourself slowly breathing in and out through your heart area.
Heart Feeling: Activate a positive feeling as you maintain your heart focus and breathing. Recall a time you felt good inside, and try to re-experience the feeling. Remember a special place or the love you feel for a close friend, relative or treasured pet. The key is to focus on something you really appreciate.

OK. What are you feeling? Notice a greater sense of ease, well-being or relaxation? Want to go even deeper? Try incorporating more appreciation into your life in the following simple ways.
Appreciation Breaks. Take two or three appreciation breaks each day – ideally in early morning, during work, school, returning home or before bed. Just follow the above simple steps. It takes as little as two minutes to achieve mental, emotional and physical balance.
Appreciation List. Make a list of things you appreciate – people, places, activities, pets – and choose one or two each morning to hold in your heart during the day. Choose an item again at night to hold in your heart while you rest.
Appreciation in the Moment. Keep your Appreciation List close all day,in a pocket or purse, by your computer, etc. In stressful moments, choose an item that can quickly evoke appreciation. It can turn a stressful day into one that flows – in 30 seconds or less. to read more

• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

˚ allowing all good 💗  

Posted on 23/03/2014. Last edited on 03/07/2015.

• ________________________________
  Power of Gratitude Science tells us that an “attitude of gratitude” is a good health choice. to read more
• ________________________________