A Simple Habit Called “Gratitude”

3 min readJan 4, 2021

Some simple habits can have a dramatic change in your outlook on life. Gratitude has proven its benefits for many over the years. Even if you’re too cool for school and think you’re mentally strong, evidence has shown that practicing a few exercises weekly can have beneficial outcomes.

“Someone else has it worse. At least that’s not you.”

We’ve all have heard this one in the past when we were having an issue…and it’s true, but there is a thin line between comparisons and gratefulness. One isn’t helping the other can work like a charm. A study explained that people with moderate depression and anxiety have shown better results in their wellbeing while seeing a mental health professional paired with practicing gratitude exercises.

There is a ton of research on the topic of gratitude influencing your health. It would be a good idea to take a few minutes of your day and take on the practice.

Six Benefits

Gratitude improves relationships.

Appreciating others however big or small and helping out by even just holding a door when can help you win new friends and strengthen relationships. So sending a thank-you message to that colleague that helped with your project can open new doors for you.

Gratitude improves physical health.

In a paper published by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough. A study where college students wrote about things they were grateful for just once a week for ten weeks reported fewer physical symptoms (such as headaches, shortness of breath, sore muscles, and nausea) than students who wrote about daily events or hassles.

Gratitude improves psychological health.

Gratitude can reduce toxic emotions, from envy and resentment to frustration and regret.

Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression.

Grateful people are more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, even while others are being unkind. Studying participants who ranked higher on gratitude scales were less likely to retaliate against others when given negative feedback. They experienced more empathy toward other people and a decreased desire for negative actions.

Grateful people sleep better.

Taking 15 minutes prior to sleep to write down your thoughts. We recommend getting everything out, but also jotting down a few grateful sentiments too.

Gratitude increases mental strength.

Having a higher sense of gratitude can help you overcome trauma in your life. Studies that followed Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of gratitude experienced lower rates of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Now it’s important to note that the mental health benefits of practicing gratitude don’t emerge immediately but gradually accrued over time.

Enlightened’s Purpose

We want to open your thoughts on mental wellbeing. There isn’t a magic pill as the journey forward is unique to you. Too many people don’t understand their underlying roots. Our products and content can be a helping hand while you become more aware of how to improve your overall wellbeing.

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