Would you believe learning the art of gratitude can change a lot more than just your attitude?
According to Erin Olivo, Clinical Psychologist and Author of Wise Mind Living: Master Your Emotions, Transform Your Life, Learning to live with an attitude of thankfulness is important for your mental and emotional health.
Live Happier and Healthier by Practicing Thankfulness
Research is showing that people who take gratitude seriously tend to be happier and healthier. According to Dr. Olivo, there is even some evidence showing that “people who are more optimistic and practice gratitude have a higher immune function than those who don’t”.
Perspective really is everything: Learn to control your thoughts!
Isn’t that reason enough to make a new effort at seeing things differently? It turns out, perspective really is everything. Clinical psychologists agree that the majority of us focus most of our thoughts on what’s going wrong. It doesn’t feel natural to find something to be thankful for when everything seems to be going the wrong way. Learning to be thankful in all situations no matter what is happening, forces you to leave pessimism and negativity behind.
Dr. Olivo says that the key learning to manage stress and anxiety is to learn how to live in the balance between our logical thinking and emotional thinking. Unfortunately, this takes a process and a commitment to re-learn how to control your dominant thoughts. This means when you’re tempted to see the glass as half-full, you have to consciously turn your thoughts away from the glass, focus in on some area of life in which your glass is flowing over. Then, you must be willing to see your “half-empty glass” as though you are peering into the future with a positive expectation of the glass being full! This has to happen for all of your thinking processes all day long. Like we said, not easy, but a worthy goal!
Dr. Olivo and other clinical psychologist agree that this change often requires much more than a change in thinking pattern but will require a course-correction in your life’s path as well. Friends that tend to draw out more negativity than positivity may need to be left by the wayside for a time. Look for other emotionally draining areas of life as well and seek to course correct.
A thankful attitude affects both your mental and physical health.
Being a thankful person changes more than just your outlook. Your life path, your friends, your past-times, and your entire way of being will reflect your new attitude. Physically your body will be abe to function at a higher level without the emotional stress. Give yourself the fastest step toward mental and emotional health! Be thankful! Literally a new you will be born!