The Greatness of Gratitude

Smiling and saying thanks does a lot more than you think.

• Makes you look a lot better. Erase those frown lines and replace them with laugh lines. It will give your face a more relaxed and pleasant look. This will draw people to spend time with you.
• Scientifically proven! Dr. Robert Emmons, a Professor of Psychology at the University of California at Davis, conducted a study on being grateful. Respondents who were tasked to be more grateful during a period of 3 weeks reported better sleep and exercise patterns. They were more optimistic about the coming week and fewer reported physical symptoms, such as pain. Moreover, his team observed an increase in reported connectedness to other people and in the likelihood of helping another person deal with a personal problem.
• Stress relief. The dog ate your homework? Instead of taking it out on the dog, think of 4 or 5 things you are thankful for. You'll notice an instant change of perspective and feel emotionally better.
• Helps other become better people too! Gratitude when expressed unleashes a cycle of kindness and caring in others too. People just have to reciprocate when you are kind to them! So go ahead say "thank you"!
• If you're still not convinced, think of this. Holding a grudge or negative emotion releases toxic chemicals inside your system which when felt repeatedly leads to chronic illness.