Thankfulness: Happiness and Health

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Today, in America and some churches in the UK, it is Thanksgiving Day! In identifying with them, I decided to write this article.

If you could find a simple answer to the stress problems you have, would you follow through on it? The answer is simply “be grateful”. Research shows that people, who react to things and situations by truly being thankful, are the beneficiaries of great health.  In other words, Thankfulness: Happiness and Health.

Thankful people are more likely to:

1. Look after themselves better both mentally and physically.
2. Practice all they are advised to do about their health.
3. Are more likely to exercise regularly and eat properly.
4. Their mental alertness is top form.
5. Book regular appointments with the doctor.
6. Have a higher threshold of handling the problems of life and stress.
7. Be happier and always look on the bright side of things.
8. Have immune systems that are a lot tougher than those who are hardly thankful.
9. Keep a brighter picture of the future always before them.

Now tell me, with all this don’t you want to go out and be thankful? There are a few things here to set you on the road to being thankful. Make these things part of your life:

Looking Outward

The way you react to situations is a large determinant on you being thankful in spite of and despite the problems of life. Thankfulness is measured by your attitude towards the outside world and yourself. It has been found that people that are more in tune with the positive happenings in their lives are prone to look outwards other than themselves.

Go beyond what you have

For many of us, material possessions are the basic reason to be thankful. In other words, the more you have, the more grateful you will be.
On the contrary, research done has shown a higher percentage of wealthy people are not satisfied with their lives as opposed to those in poverty. From this we come to understand that it is about the way you feel about the things you have that really makes the difference.

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Take Record

Every day, write at least five things you are grateful for. Keeping record is a wonderful way of being thankful and positive on a daily basis. From studies, fewer health issues are reported in those that keep a daily journal of things they are grateful for each day. You will find that once you write in this journal every day, you will definitely have a more thankful approach to life in general. Count your blessings!

Make it Positive

The situations life presents us are not actually what makes you upset; it is simply the way you understand and react to said situation. On that next occasion when you start grumbling about something that happened, try and think of the possible positives of what happened. For instance, you get a flat tire, instead of complaining think of possible reasons you had to stop and how it may have averted a few things ahead.