The attitude of gratitude

Most weeks on Sundays, I write a post entitled "everything is tickety-boo", which lists some of the things that have happened this past week that have made me feel good.  It is really an expression of gratitude.

In my other blog about my jewelry "inside the artisan" I used to write a similar blog post entitled "a bird in the hand" which again, was about appreciation.

I write these blogs as a review for myself of the good things in the week and to let the people that I mention know that I appreciate them, but also to encourage you to reflect on the things that you grateful for.  Expressing gratitude can have a big effect on our quality of life.

In a 2005 study concerning gratitude by Seligman et al., study participants were randomly assigned to one of 6 intervention groups designed to improve the participant's overall quality of life.  Out of the six conditions, the longest lasting effects were caused by the act of writing "gratitude journals" where participants were asked to write down three things they were grateful for each day.  These participants' happiness scores also increased and continued to increase each time they were tested periodically after the experiment.  The greatest benefits were usually found to occur around six months after the intervention began.  This exercise was so successful that although participants were only asked to continue the journal for a week, many of them continued to keep the journal long after the study was over.

So why not give it a try. Give it a go for a week. Before you go to bed, write down three things you are grateful for that day. It doesn't have to be long. Just three quick bullet points. See how you feel.

There are even apps for iPhone and iPad that let you write down your three gratitudes each day or take a photo of them.  Look at Gratitude Rock, Gratitude Diary or  Thankfulfor, plus there are others too.

Or if you write a blog, you could start a once weekly gratitude post.  I hope you'll join me. We have a lot to be grateful for.