We know that this time of of year can be depressing - low levels of light, cold weather, less money than usual after Christmas...
Instead of focusing on this low mood however, an alternative approach taken from positive psychology is to focus on gratitude. This concept has long been embraced by religions and philosophies who view gratitude as a manifestation of virtue, and an important part of health and well-being.
More recently psychology has realised the potential of gratitude. Indeed, Michael McCullough a psychology professor at the University of Miami believes when you stop and count your blessings, you hijack your emotional system. In other words, you direct your attention to good things.
Practising gratitude on a regular basis can change the way our brain neurons fire into more positive automatic patterns. These positive emotions can ease distress and broaden our thinking. Gratitude can help us feel connected and remind us that we are part of something bigger.
Here are some quotes about gratitude to help you to think about gratitude in your own life:
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom" Marcel Proust.
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures" Thornton Wilder
"As we express of gratitude we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them" John F Kennedy
"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has a cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us" Albert Schweitzer
"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has" Epictetus
What do you have to be grateful for? Write down at least one thing each day (no matter how small) and feel your mood lift as the days go by.
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