Why Gratitude matters.
Why Gratitude Matters
By. Elizabeth Scollan
I know, I know. The cynic in me, acknowledges the cynic in all of us, whose eyes are rolling at the very idea of dedicating the month of November to a gratitude practice. The eye roll continues all the way back up into the head when we add that said gratitude practice is being cultivated at a yoga studio. It’s all just a little too on the nose, right? I get it.
And yet, I think there is a part of all of us contrarians that so deeply wants to set aside the “I’m too cool” part of ourselves to lean in to something far more genuine. I believe this partially because it was my idea to dedicate a full 30 days to a community wide gratitude practice even while my inner critic was screaming at me to abort mission. I believe it even more so because of how thirsty I feel (and from what I hear from so many others) for a feeling of hope and connection.
So I decided to read up on the subject and science of gratitude to get a better understanding of actionable results. Something to help me get out of my own way and get all the way on board (inner cynic and all). The resounding consensus plain and simple is that a gratitude practice is good for you.
so what are some of the benefits people with a regular gratitude practice regularly report?
Improved mental health. As much as 6.9% decrease in depression symptoms according to the data.
5 out of 8 studies showed improvement in sleep
Greater resilience and coping skills
In a recent Harvard University article there is even evidence that gratitude may lower inflammation and blood pressure.
In his book The Gratitude Project Ryan Adam Smith states, “Brain imaging shows that even just thinking about something changes our neural cortex. So when you practice gratitude, you’re using the neural circuits of connectedness, affection and positive feeling- and they become a greater part of your brain circuitry and consequently your life.” If we allow ourselves to think about what we are thankful for on a routine basis we will actually be more grateful.
And yet I’ve heard the concern voiced that positivity and personal benefits aren’t solving our greater problems as a society. You might worry they go so far as to hinder us from having the drive to continue to desire real change. Could they lull us into complacency? The research says no - in fact - quite the opposite. As explained in a Berkeley study done in 2017, gratitude shifts our mental focus away from self-concern to connection. When you feel thankful for what you’ve received- support, kindness, opportunity- your brain tags that experience as socially rewarding. That emotional imprint motivates you to “pay it forward”.
how do we cultivate this type of ritual in our own lives?
This month Soulage is dedicating our time, energy and social media to offering a few simple prompts that might get you started and we hope that you will join us for the experiment.
In preparation for this journey we are taking together, we recommend a few things:
Choose a mode that feels right for you: journaling, voice recording, a conversation daily with a loved one. Something that you feel you will be more compelled to do because you enjoy it.
Pick a time of day so that it can become a routine for you. Maybe it will turn into a practice that lasts more than the month of November for you.
Give yourself permission to not just name what you are grateful for but to feel the sensation of gratefulness.
Turn up your curiosity and turn down your cynicism. Let’s see how this unfolds together.
Feel free to share with us and others: the more we say it out loud the more contagious the feeling and the movement becomes.