The eminent African-American poetess Maya Angelou has said “Be present in all things and thankful for all things”. Gratitude is one of the most important things in our life. The people who are always thankful for all the positive things in their life generally have great mental and physical health. A study conducted at the Virginia Commonwealth University proved that people with an attitude of gratitude are less likely to have any mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
There are different ways to develop an attitude of gratitude and one of them is gratitude meditation. Gratitude meditation helps a person to see goodness in life. It also helps a person in improving the quality of relationships he has with others.
Why is Attitude of Gratitude Important?
The easiest and most reliable way to gain contentment and satisfaction in your life is by having an attitude of gratitude. It helps you in coping with your losses and prepares your mind to be grateful for what you have. In this regard, the great American musician and social activist Willie Nelson has said “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” This tells how people around the world who are suffering from mental health issues because of their losses can cope up with it if they start thanking God for what they have.
This type of attitude has also become relevant in times of famine stricken times. We saw people literally dying on the streets in Delhi, India last year. They had all the money but there was no oxygen for the patients to save them. After seeing people dying in such a manner, a person should thank God that he is alive and well. According to the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” This tells how people around the world who are suffering from mental health issues because of their losses can cope with it if they start thanking God for what they have.
How You Can Attain this Attitude:
Everyone in this world wants to have the attitude of thankfulness but very few are able to achieve this. The basic reason for that is most people think that it is a natural instinct and if someone does not have it by birth they cannot have it later on in their life. It is scientifically proven that through meditation anyone can achieve this. Buddhist monks start their day with an exercise of gratitude. There are also different online mindset course where you can learn how to develop this type of attitude.
How Attitude of Gratitude Helps you in Improving Your Mental Health:
It enhances your positive emotions
The people who pay attention to the positive aspects of their life and are thankful for what they have had better emotional health. The attitude of gratitude keeps all the envy and the negative emotions away from us. In gratitude, a person focuses on all the positive aspects and according to the American writer Amy Collete “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul”.
It increases your Self-esteem
True happiness can be defined as the happiness that brings joy in our lives and increases our Self-esteem. If you are thankful and happy for what you have you will always be satisfied. If you admire who you are and what you have achieved in your life, your self-esteem will get a boost and this will help you grow in life. People around the globe have improved their mental health by taking the Mindset Coaching Course Online to improve their mental health.
Helps you in controlling anxiety
Around 40 million Americans are suffering from Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD). One of the major reasons for this anxiety is the feeling that you have less than the people around you. The attitude of gratitude can help you in controlling your anxiety because when you are thankful for what you have you are no longer anxious.
Helps in controlling suicidal thoughts
On average 132 Americans commit suicide every day. In the last few years, this rate has increased by 35 percent. Mental health disorders are one of the major reasons for this. Through the meditation of gratitude, a person can train his mind to push the suicidal thoughts away, and once the mind is trained this rate of suicide will automatically come down.
Final Thoughts
A thankful attitude can take you to places that you have never expected. If a person is being thankful for what he has he will have a calm mind. To sum it up, this beautiful quote by the great Egyptian Writer Eileen Caddy is enough. “Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”
