Are You A Happy Person, What Do You Say?

What do you say about yourself? Are you a happy person? If your reply is in negative then you need to think over it. All your education, intelligence, money, status and success is meaningless if you are not living a happy life. What is the reason of living if a person is not happy with his life?

I firmly believe that it is the right of every person to live a happy life but most people are not aware how to. Psychologists believe that 90% of our happiness depends on us while 10% depends on external circumstances, on which we have no or little control. If we are not living a happy life then it means that we are depriving ourselves of our 90% happiness due to our own narrow or negative thinking.

Always keep in mind that happiness has nothing to do with money or circumstances. I have seen rich people living unhappy life and poor people living happy life. In fact, it is the inner state of one's mind which keeps a person happy. You need to train your mind to be happy. If you decide to be happy no one can snatch your happiness. Some people are so much determined to be happy that even living in the worst circumstances, they manage to keep themselves happy. I salute such positive people.

I must stress that the top most reason of being unhappy is the negative thinking of a person. Negativity can ruin a person's life beyond imagination. My motto is "Positive Thinking, Happy Living". I am of the view that if you think positively, you can live happily, no matter whatever your circumstances. It is up to you how do you want to spend your life. How do you see, feel and live your life. How do you treat yourself, being a happy or an unhappy person.

It is a painful fact that the number of unhappy people in this world is increasing at a much higher pace than the happy people. On a daily basis, you see unhappy people everywhere, in the streets and in any business or organization, whereas, happy, helpful and cheerful people are rare to find. Because of the unsatisfied human nature, we are not in the habit of appreciating what we have. We have interlinked our happiness with the accumulation of material things and this is our biggest mistake. Things do not give happiness, thinking does.

To be happy is much easier than you think. All that you need is to cultivate the seeds of happiness in your mind. Why depend on others or circumstances? Why not create your own world, your own joy and your own happiness. No one else can make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Be the master of your own fate and the master of your own happiness. Choose to be happy. Bury your worries deep in the soil and start digging out the gems of happiness from there.

Start living your life as a happy person. A happy person gets happiness by giving and sharing. Share your fortunes with the less fortunate people. The more you give the more you get happiness in abundance and that is the beauty of giving. A kind hearted person is a happy person. Be a kind person. Be a helpful person. Appreciate the good qualities of other people.

Start your day with a positive state of mind. Every morning bow your head before God in gratitude for all His blessings. Be grateful to God for being in good health. Spend some time in praying and early morning meditation.

Be the master of your own destiny and the torch bearer of your happiness. Always keep in mind that a happy person:

- fights negativity with full force

- lives a purposeful and meaningful life

- is an honest and hardworking person

- is a kind and helpful person

- is a creative person who can create something out of nothing

- spends some time alone in meditation and establishing a link with God

Not only live your life as a happy person but also spread happiness. Making other people happy is not only a great service of mankind but also a source of seeking inner happiness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9670698

The Psychology of Happiness

A lot has been written about happiness and from psychology to philosophy, different theories of happiness have focused on issues of satisfaction, contentment, and even spiritual liberation. But happiness is one of the most subjective mental states and several factors could be at play when a person is truly happy. Whereas anger or fear could be defined with physical reactions and certain behavioural patterns, this is not so for happiness and that is how happiness is extremely subjective. For example one bar of chocolate could make one child happy whereas another child would want two chocolate bars to feel truly happy.

So why do we feel happy? Happiness is usually associated with some kind of gain or attainment. When we achieve or attain something, we feel satisfied and this triggers happiness. The attainment does not have to be material, it could very well be spiritual. It could even be bodily and physical, just as an insomniac person would feel happy after a good night's sleep. So, in defining happiness we have to locate a specific material, spiritual or physical gain or attainment and the contentment arising as a result of this attainment. The question would arise whether it is possible to be happy without any attainment. I would say that it is not possible to happy without attaining something and this attainment does not have to be immediate and could be related any past achievement. Now, you could say that you do know someone who is always happy without any specific reason. It's that you haven't found out the reason for his happiness. He may be a simple man with simple needs and happy after a warm bath or a nice meal, so that's still some attainment. So, happiness always involves some attainment or need fulfilment, however small or big that is.

Psychologists have used several models including bio psychosocial and PERMA models to explain happiness suggesting that happiness is attained when our biological, psychological and sociological needs are met or when there is pleasure (bodily for instance), engagement (in some activity for instance), relationships, meaning (for instance purpose of life) and accomplishments. These models suggest that happiness involves something deeper than just our fleeting pleasures. I would differ and suggest that happiness being extremely subjective, some people may just be happy attaining pleasures whereas some others would seek meaning or possibly accomplishments and relationships. So the level or type of attainment that makes one happy would vary from one person to another.

Thus some people would be happy when their basic needs are fulfilled whereas some others would not be happy even after significant professional accomplishments as they may be expecting some other level or kind of achievement. Thus happiness largely depends on our subjective understanding of what it means to be happy. Since happiness is so subjective it cannot be strictly placed within models or frameworks although the underlying common factor that makes people happy is always some kind of attainment, gain or need fulfilment.

The next level of analysis would be whether happiness could be categorized to generalized happiness or a continued happy state of mind and specific happiness for attaining one of the specific pleasures or goals. I would suggest that there cannot be a generalized state of happiness without a specific reason. A seemingly happy person may not be genuinely happy or may be genuinely happy as he may have attained an exalted spiritual state or accumulated substantial wealth. So again as we see a continued state of happiness could also be explained with attainment.

The need fulfilment or attainment that triggers happiness could be biological such as bodily pleasures as when we quench our thirst, satisfy physical desires etc. The attainment could be social when we form relationships and feel happy or simply talk to strangers at a large event or remain engaged in social activity, or the attainment could be spiritual when we seek and even find some kind of spiritual liberation. The attainment or need fulfilment could be psychological when our love needs are fulfilled or when we reach our goals or fulfil our ambitions. The biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of attainment could provide happiness according to their needs. Thus happiness is intricately tied to our specific needs although these needs could be interrelated as for example the need for status or power could be both social and psychological.

Thus we distinguish the factors that could lead to happiness

1. Biological (bodily pleasures, basic needs)

2. Social (status, relationships, social activity and engagement)

3. Psychological (emotional, love, friendship, personal accomplishments)

4. Spiritual (finding meaning and purpose, transpersonal needs)

There could be several reactions to happiness and this could range from smiling to engaging in rigorous physical activity as happiness could mean a sudden surge in energy levels. People who engage in physical activity are more likely to be happy due to improved blood circulation and general good health. However happiness being an extremely subjective emotional state, in order to feel genuinely happy, some achievement in terms of long term goals such as love or conjugal life, wealth, spiritual liberation, or professional achievement could help a person to attain a continued happy state of mind. This is the prolonged state of happiness that has causes similar to any transient state of happiness although the effects could be long lasting. The people who have a prolonged state of happiness are generally lively, sporty, fun loving and optimistic. A child may show a prolonged state of happiness when adequate care and love are provided by their parents or carers. However transient states of happiness are more common as prolonged states of happiness could be interrupted by adverse life events so momentary joys and pleasures provide us with reassurance to accept and embrace life.

From a more psychoanalytic point of view, happiness would be related to desire, libido, our energy levels and even the defense mechanisms that we unconsciously use to vent out our frustration and thus remain happy or calm. Happiness would naturally raise our libidinal levels and make us more energetic and high levels of energy could in turn make us happy, so this process is cyclical. Several scientific studies have shown that happiness is directly related to our levels of energy.

Considering defense mechanisms, psychoanalysis could in a way suggest that happiness is actually acting out or reaction formation when we show certain reactions that may be completely opposite to what we feel. For example in reaction formation we may show happiness, when in reality we are sad or depressed. Although genuine happiness could be explained with psychoanalysis as well, as for example, an artist is genuinely happy when he can sublimate his desires to socially acceptable forms of expression through his creativity. A sportsman is genuinely happy when he can channel his aggressive or sexual desires through sport or rigorous activity. So these defense mechanisms in psychoanalysis could actually produce genuine happiness in people because of the inherent survival and coping strategies involved in these defenses.

Finally, happiness being a state of mind would be entirely subjective and would evoke extreme subjective reactions. For instance, someone laughs on hearing a joke and feel happy about it and someone else would be sarcastic or may not feel the same level of excitement. Whereas anger and other emotions could be explained in terms of physical responses, happiness usually does not have defined physical responses although there is a general positive feeling of well being and the physical responses could vary considerably. As I have stated on the psychology of emotions, it would be necessary to determine the components of feeling and bodily reaction for every emotion including happiness and psychology has an extensive research project to consider for the future.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6553375

Discipline For Development

"Academic discipline is studying when you are supposed to study, even when you do not feel like to study"

As a student you need academic success, you want un-stressful success, it is not a great task, it is very simple but tactical.

-Things that serve as the prerequisite for success in academics

1. Discipline - Charity begins at home is one constant often said adage. The amount of discipline you imbibe into your being determines your achievement. Discipline is the act of changing bad characters in you and replacing them with good ones that will be of help to you.

To be disciplined, you have to be able to forgo some things, you have to be able to endure and be able to manage efficiently. As a high school student you have a little money that you have planned to use to buy an iPod and a new workbook has just been brought to your class by your teacher. The discipline must be there that I need this book more than this iPod, then I should buy this one even without the knowledge of my parents. An undergraduate in which your parent affordable gave you N5000 to use for a month then, that discipline of wise spending should be there, I need to manage this money should constantly be in your mind. Then you have installed discipline in the highest order to yourself.

Discipline to be over-emphasized is in many phases, you can discipline any part of your body, and you can discipline your eyes to avoid lust-able things. You can discipline your mouth not to talk too much or not to say malicious thing/slander. You can discipline your hands to always profit you. Discipline your legs not to walk aimlessly, discipline your brain, to enhance your IQ. Discipline your stomach not to take much food. Discipline your heart to hear to hear profitable things. Discipline can be imbibed in many areas.

-Discipline of ones eyes to avoid lust-able things

Eyes can be used to see, it can see both far and near objects unless if otherwise. It can see human and many other things. With your eyes, you can read your book effectively. Taking disciplinary action on your eyes not to strenuously look at a female is not a big task, because it will go a long way to help you not to commit sin to your GOD and not to destroy your life at the early stage.

-Discipline of one's mouth

One can discipline his mouth to avoid the wrath of GOD, in what sense? By talking sensibly and avoiding length words. In multitude of words a man sin, one can implicate him/herself by talking too much, you might not even know.

Discipline of one's leg

I will discipline my leg not to walk to my enemy's house. In your hostel, as an undergraduate, you are not restricted from going out. Then you must discipline yourself not to over-use your freedom, stay indoor. Walking aimlessly can cause one to fall sick, since the leg is not a stick, it is better to discipline your leg. Try to work in "GODS geometry"-from class to library and to hostel.

-Discipline your ears

An ear listens and also hears, your ear can hear impromptu, but it is then, you listen patiently if it is important. Listening to worldly music cannot profit you, listening to corrupt languages from friends cannot profit you, listening to bad messages is unprofitable, it is then, you discipline your ears to hear good things and listen to them.

-Discipline your stomach

Stomach attracts food a lot, when you eat, eat and eat, you are not eating free of charge, then you are a glutton, a covetous fellow, a greedy man, you want to eat the whole of the world. You spend the whole of your allowances eating without saving on you, you are an empty balloon. Discipline your stomach to eat little and nutritious food, do not live to eat but eat to live.

-Discipline your brain

Brain works hand in hand with your body system. When what is in your brain is nothing to write home about, you have low IQ.

Then discipline sets in, you have the power to control your brain, do not let people deceive you. After GOD, you are in charge of your life. Do not let devil rule it for you.

All I have been explaining so far do not count it trivial or being a child's play, discipline in it real sense is a very important asset to success, proper management of it can give you a chance of making ahead than your course mate or class mate. It takes discipline to run the race of life - word for food.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4787191

The Secret To Building Self-Discipline

If you have been searching for ways to build successful self-discipline, take a look at the video below and start adding them in to your daily routine. 

Let me know your favourite part of the video below! 

Becoming Successful In Life - The Importance Of Discipline

Discipline means obedience to rules for regulation of human conduct. A life without discipline is like a ship without a rudder. Discipline is be -all and end-all of life.It does not mean a negation of individual liberty or a life cabin-ed and confined in iron case. William Slim says 'It is only discipline that enables man to live in a community and yet retains individual liberty'. No body can prosper in his life without it.

We find discipline in:

If we take a closer look around us, we will be able to realize that all of things abide by the rules of rolls of nature. There are many examples around us. Here is some examples where, we can take lesson of discipline from-

- The nature: Discipline is the first low of nature. Nature is not a chaos but a cosmos. Had there been no order in nature, the world would have destroyed in the twinkle of an eye. All the planets of the solar system move on their respective orbits in a discipline way and do never come in collision with one another

- The army life: Discipline is must be obeyed in army life. Here discipline is a question of life and death. The soldiers must follow the command of the leader without any question, without any excuse, without any hesitation. It is because here a moment's hesitation may mean defeat and death. There goes a saying 'Do or die'

- The animals: Discipline is also seen in the life of lower animals. The life of bees is an eye-opening example of discipline. All the bees obey the queen bee. Ant are also disciplined. They lead their life in a discipline way. If any ant find a drop of water he share this drop of water with another ant. All other animals also follow a disciplined course of life. And so on.

Value of discipline:

- In daily life: Great value of discipline in our life. Man is a social being. He can not do whatever he likes. He must abide by the rules of the society. Where there is no discipline, there is no rule of law and where there is on rule of law, there is only chaos and confusion everywhere. Than "Might is right" becomes the go of the day. A well-regulated disciplined man can enjoy all the boons of a happy life and leave behind him foot prints of glorious deeds on the sands of time. M.K. Gandhi says 'Discipline maintains system, system maintains development and development vibrates human life.'

- In family life: Discipline is of great value in a family life. A family with good discipline is like a team under a good captain. On the contrary, a family without discipline is cannot go nicely. A family is the first training ground for a man to learn discipline.

- In student life: Students are the future hope of the nation. There life is life of preparation - preparation for the struggle of life. They can't expect to win in the battle of life without discipline. A less meritorious student with discipline can beat out a more meritorious student without discipline in the competition.

- In playground: Discipline is strictly followed in the playground. A team can't play well without discipline. A well disciplined but a weak team can easily beat out the strong rival team bereft if discipline among them. Discipline may be called a million dollar secret for winning victory in the competitions of game and sports.

- In traffic system: Discipline is strictly followed in the traffic system. This is why the traffic police are posted at important crossing points in the roads to maintain the traffic rules. They guide the vehicles to follow their due course and avoid jams and accidents. We know that a road without discipline would be a road with a horrible scene of accidents only.

Finely, discipline is the key to success in life. It actually means a prescribed code of conduct which helps us to lead a peaceful life in a community along with liberty. We all should work in the way of discipline.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6320410

How To Build Your Self-Esteem

 If you are looking to develop self esteem, today I share training from Brian Tracy. Enjoy! 

How to Build Self-Esteem – The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem by Nathaniel Branden

In today's post I share with you the Six Pillars of self esteem. Personally a really great watch and it raises some interesting questions. 

Which pillar resonated with you today? 

Develop Your Self Esteem

What is Self Esteem?

Self-esteem is the combination of: self-worth, self-regard, self-respect, and self-integrity. It is a psychological concept used to describe how an individual feels about him/herself. High self-esteem indicates a high worth placed on the self while low self-esteem indicates the opposite.

Abraham Maslow believes that psychological health is based on the core, and it is only possible whenever the essential core of the person is fundamentally accepted, loved and respected by others and by her or his self. According to Jack Canfield: "Self-esteem is based on feeling capable and feeling lovable".

Self-esteem and self-image are interrelated. The term self-image is used to describe a person's mental picture of himself. Self-image leads to self-esteem. During early childhood, we develop mental images of ourselves: who we are, what we are good at, how we look, and what are our strengths and weakness could be. Our experiences and our interactions with other people will make these mental images stronger inside us. Over time these mental self-images will develop our notion of self-esteem. Self-esteem is about feelings that we develop inside ourselves as a result of outside factors. Self-esteem is about how much we feel accepted, loved and valued by others and how much we accept, love and value ourselves. It is the combination of those two factors that shape our self-esteem.

Typically, self-esteem is defined in terms of how we evaluate ourselves and our characteristics. According to Stanley Coppersmith, a pioneering researcher in the field, it is "personal judgment of worthiness that is expressed in the attitudes the individual holds toward himself."

Good self-esteem means that we have enough self-confidence to not need the approval of others.

How it is Developed?

Thoughts, relationships and experiences create your self-esteem. Self-esteem begins to form as early as childhood, and factors that influence it include the likes of one's own thoughts and perceptions, how other people react, experiences at school, work and the community, disability, illness, injury, culture, religion, and even one's role and status in society. Low self-esteem is developed when the person doesn't see himself as having the qualities he admires. Unfortunately, persons with low self-esteem usually do have the qualities they admire but they can't see it because they programmed their self-image that way. Dr. Michael Miller, editor in chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, says, "It's more likely that self-esteem will come as a result of accurate self-understanding, appreciation of one's genuine skills, and the satisfaction of helping others." People close to you like: parents, siblings, peers, friends, teachers and other contacts and your interaction with those people, will have a big impact on your self-esteem. Self-esteem is established in your early childhood, and it matures during late adolescence. Whenever the person stabilizes their sense of being in control of their own destiny, they begin to formulate self-esteem. Family relationship plays a major role in determining our self-esteem. It is how we are treated by others that teach us whether we are important. The feeling of being cared for or worthwhile will shape our level of self-esteem. This is linked to receiving approval from others. Yet based on early life experiences and their social roles, women often seek approval more than men. By age 16, more girls than boys begin to report low self-esteem. According to Dove Research: The Real Truth about Beauty: 7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way including their looks, performance in school and relationships.

How Important is Self Esteem?

According to Brian Tracy: "Your self-esteem is probably the most important part of your personality. It precedes and predicts your performance in almost everything you do. Your level of self-esteem is really your level of mental fitness. To perform at your best and to feel terrific about yourself, you should be in a perpetual state of self-esteem."

Self-esteem is important for people as it gives them more confidence to face life. Self-esteem will enable the person to have more optimism and have more momentum to reach their goals. Persons with low self-esteem usually feel inferior and may not perform well under different circumstances. They developed false thoughts that no one will accept them or like them. On the other hand, people with healthy self-esteem can feel good about their environment and then about themselves. They can do things more efficiently and by doing so; they can feel proud of their accomplishments and about themselves.

Feeling good bout ourselves will enable us to enjoy life more and more. Feeling that we are accepted, liked and loved, means we have healthy self-esteem, and this feeling will be reflected in our relationships.

One of the major causes of broken relationships is low self-esteem.

Developing self-esteem enables us to invite happiness in our lives. It is this feeling that makes you believe that you deserve happiness. It is very important to understand this belief, the belief that you really deserve to be happy and fulfilled, because with this belief you can treat people with respect, and goodwill, thus favoring rich interpersonal relationships and avoiding destructive ones. Possessing little self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Many studies show that low self-esteem leads to stress, depression and anxiety. Research indicates a positive relationship between healthy self-esteem and many positive results, including happiness, humility, resilience and optimism. Self-esteem plays a role in almost everything you do.

World Health Organization recommends in "Preventing Suicide" published in 2000, that strengthening students' self-esteem is important to protect children and adolescents against mental distress and despondency, enabling them to cope adequately with difficult and stressful life situations. In the book: Alcoholism: A False Stigma: Low Self-Esteem the True Disease, (1996) Candito reports: "Those who have identified themselves as "recovered alcoholics" indicate that low self esteem is the most significant problem in their lives. Low self-esteem is the true problem and the true disease. Alcohol is but a symptom of an alcoholic's disease". According to Glenn R. Schiraldi, who is Ph.D., author of The Self-Esteem Workbook and a professor at the University Of Maryland School Of Public Health:"Those with good self-esteem are able to realistically and honestly evaluate their strengths, weaknesses and potential." According to Madelyn Swift, our emotional health depends on our self esteem. Liking ourselves and feeling capable are the foundations on which emotional health rests.

A healthy self-esteem enables you to accept yourself and appreciate life, as it is supposed to be.

Can You Develop a Healthy Self Esteem?

The truth is, self esteem is hardly stable. A study published by the American Psychological Association, reported that self esteem is lowest among young adults but increases throughout adulthood and peaks at age 60, just before starting to decline again. The study's researchers measured the self-esteem of 3,617 U.S. adults. On average, women had lower self-esteem than men did throughout most of adulthood, but self-esteem levels converged as men and women reached their 80s and 90s. Blacks and whites had similar self-esteem levels throughout young adulthood and middle age. The study's lead author, Ulrich Orth, PhD, said: "Self-esteem is related to better health, less criminal behavior, lower levels of depression and, overall, greater success in life. Therefore, it's important to learn more about how the average person's self-esteem changes over time."

The biggest source of self-esteem is your thoughts, and these thoughts are within your control. Focusing on your mistakes and weaknesses will develop low self-esteem. You can reverse this type of thinking by focusing instead on your positive points and characteristics.

According to Denis Waitley: "To establish true self-esteem we must concentrate on our successes and forget about the failures and the negatives in our lives".

There are many self-help tools to lift your self esteem. They all start at your way of thinking. As Eleanor Roosevelt said it: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8026584

10 Reasons To Keep A Gratitude Journal

Below are 10 reasons why you should keep a gratitude journal:

1. Positive attitude and happier

When you are grateful you feel more optimistic about life in general because you are naturally looking for the good in every experience. Also, research by Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a leading expert on gratitude, shows that gratitude reduces toxic emotions, such as envy, resentment, frustration, and regret. This results in less depression and thereby increases happiness and joy.

According to HappierHuman.com, in a study of participants who kept a gratitude journal over time, the percentage of increase in happiness rose by 150% in only 5 months. The Greater Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life project conducted by researchers at the University of California at Berkley and Davis discovered that grateful people feel less lonely and isolated. Lastly, according to Time.com, a 2003 study found that people who wrote about things they were grateful for were more optimistic and reported feeling better about themselves.

2. Good for your health

A team of researchers, led by Deepak Chopra and Alex Wood, examined a group of individuals with Stage B asymptomatic heart failure and determined that gratitude has an important role in spiritual well-being. More specifically, the researchers documented that an attitude of gratitude related to better mood and sleep, less fatigue, more self-efficacy, and lower cellular inflammation. In 2012, a study published in Personality and Individual Differences indicated that grateful people are more likely to take care of their health, exercise more often, and are more likely to attend regular check-ups with their doctors.

3. Helps advance your career

Expressing gratitude has been found to improve work performance. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study on how workers who received a pep talk and gratitude from their manager did more work than those who did not. So treating employees nicely with appreciation is not only a good thing to do, it will increase productivity. Gratitude helps people network, increases decision-making capabilities, and helps in getting new mentors and protégés. As such, being grateful helps you achieve your career goals and makes your workplace more friendly and enjoyable. Another study found that expressing thanks to your employees fosters a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. The same study further revealed a ripple effect of gratitude leading to increased trust amongst colleagues and more initiative to help each other at work.

4. Strengthens your relationship with God

In research done by Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D. and his colleagues, those who regularly attend religious services and engage in religious activities such as prayer or reading religious materials were found to be grateful. As I have researched, multiple religions have numerous scriptures indicating how we should be more grateful to God for everything and by doing so, we will have a more rewarding life. The fact that so many scriptures are written about gratitude in relation to God suggests that being grateful must be very important. Being more grateful to God, draws us closer to Him as we understand that He is the source of our blessings. This causes God to reciprocate, as stated in the Bible in James 4:8, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." By acknowledging and thanking Him for His gifts and mercy, we strengthen our relationship with God.

5. Enhances empathy

A 2006 study in the journal Psychological Science found that people who expressed more gratitude were also more likely to help out others. A 2012 study by the University of Kentucky linked gratitude to greater empathy and lower aggression. In fact, the study participants with higher levels of gratitude behaved in a pro-social manner even when others behaved less kind.

6. You make friends more easily

Keeping a gratitude journal has been found to make you more likely to help others and to offer them emotional support. A 2014 study published in the journal Emotion revealed that students showing gratitude by writing and sending a note to a new mentor resulted in the mentor sharing their personal information with the students. These studies support that being grateful makes you more friendly and open to receive new friendships.

7. Improves self-esteem

In 2014, researchers who published a study in the Journal of Applied Sports Psychology found that gratitude increased self-esteem in athletes, which is key to optimal performance. Also, other studies have found that gratitude reduces social comparisons, and that grateful people appreciate the success of others. As mentioned earlier, gratitude reduces envy and resentment. Therefore, it correlates that grateful people would tend to not compare themselves to others.

8. Helps you recover from trauma

Gratitude has been shown to play a major role in overcoming trauma. For example, a 2006 study found that Vietnam War Veterans with high gratitude levels had lower rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Another study linked gratitude with fostering resilience for survivors of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Being grateful for surviving the negative experiences helps you to move forward with a positive attitude.

9. You have better memories

The very nature of gratitude instills positivity in how we interpret various life experiences. As we keep a gratitude journal, we are creating a written record of these reflections. According to Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., one reason to keep a gratitude journal is to have a legacy gift for someone or yourself, to be able to look back at the source of the goodness in your life many years later.

10. You have better romantic relationships

A 2015 University of Georgia study found that saying thank you more often to and feeling appreciated by your spouse causes partners to feel closer, more committed, and have a greater mutual relationship satisfaction. And for couples who had financial and other problems, gratitude can actually reverse negative effects of conflict and promote positive marital outcomes. The study also discovered that having gratitude for a partner and receiving gratitude from one's partner results in better romantic relationships. A different study also reported that gratitude has lasting effects as the partners were more responsive to the other's needs, even up to nine months later.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9583590

6 Experts Share Important Lessons on Being Grateful | Impact Theory

Gratitude is a really important way of being in a good place in life and it can take many forms. Today I share 6 experts' views on the important lessons of gratitude. Hope you enjoy and let me know which was your favourite lesson?

Gratitude and Why You Need to Practice It

You've probably heard a lot about gratitude, or perhaps you've heard the popular phrase, "Have an attitude of gratitude." Gratitude is an important characteristic to develop. However, it's important to realize that gratitude is far more than just expressing gratefulness aloud - it involves living a life of gratitude. As President John F. Kennedy said, "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

What is Gratitude?

Before looking at why you should practice gratitude and how you can add gratitude to your life, it's important to understand this characteristic. What is gratitude? Webster's Online Dictionary defines thankfulness as "A feeling of thankfulness and appreciation." It is also described as a state of feeling or being grateful. Instead of focusing on wants and needs, gratitude is a positive emotion that focuses on expressing appreciation.

Reasons it's Important to Practice Gratitude

Why do you need to practice gratitude? Have you ever met a person who was negative about everything? After being around that person, you may have felt that their negativity was sucking your energy away. By having gratitude as a core value, you can avoid being that person. Here are just a few more reasons it's important to be grateful.

- Gratitude helps put your life in perspective. You start seeing the glass as half full. It makes you realize how much you really have.

- An attitude of gratitude helps push you out of tough moments. Challenges will occur in relationships and in your business life, but when you use gratitude to look at those challenges, it will help you move beyond that challenge.

- Gratitude also helps you learn to appreciate the little things. You'll retain that child like sense of wonder as you look at your blessings.

- Of course, gratitude will help you appreciate all the big things in life too.

What Research Says About Gratitude

You may be surprised to find that many researchers have studied gratitude. In fact, research shows that practicing gratitude offers many benefits. Here are just a few of the things researchers have discovered about practicing gratitude.

- People who regularly discuss gratitude enjoy greater levels of energy, better sleep, improved alertness and greater determination.

- When people keep regular gratitude journals, they exercise more often, they feel optimistic about their life and have fewer negative physical symptoms.

- Some new research shows that practicing gratitude daily may help to prevent coronary artery disease.

- Grateful people enjoy lower stress levels and a decreased risk of depression.

- Individuals who regularly practice gratitude report that they are better able to offer emotional support to other individuals.

Ways to Practice Gratitude

Now that you're more aware of why it's so important to practice gratitude, you may be wondering how you can begin practicing gratitude in your life. Here are some simple ways you can start being grateful today.

- Way #1 - Keep a Gratitude Journal - One of the best ways to practice gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Research shows that this is one of the best ways to become grateful. Get a journal, or even a notebook, and start writing down things you're thankful for each day or one day a week.

- Way #2 - Post Photos, Words, and Items of Gratitude Around Home and at Work - Remind yourself to be grateful by posting photos, words and items of gratitude around your home and at work. Quotes that inspire you to feel gratitude or photos that make you feel grateful will help you focus on gratitude.

- Way #3 - Start Saying "Thank You!" - Simply saying "thank you" to people more often will help you practice gratitude.

- Way #4 - Let Friends and Family Members Know You're Thankful for Them - Take time to let your friends and family members know that you are thankful for them. Practice gratitude by writing a thank you note, a special letter or send a text to let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life.

- Way #5 - Practicing Gratitude as a Family at Dinner - When you sit down to a family dinner, go around the table and have each person say something they are grateful for before you eat.

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