Why grateful people are more resilient to stress
Having thankfulness means appreciating and being thankful for what one has. It is an appreciation of value that exists apart from tangible worth. This social emotion, which is derived from the influence of helping others and getting support in return, helps to fortify relationships.
According to research, feeling and expressing thankfulness may require activating particular brain regions. According to brain scans, people's brains permanently alter when they are forced to exhibit gratitude, which increases their sensitivity to similar situations in the future.
In addition to being a mental attitude and a personality characteristic, gratitude is an emotion that uplifts people. A greater number of us probably practise gratitude on a regular basis. We will share with you in this post the markers of how thankfulness actually functions in our bodies and minds after analysing the study data.
Positive emotions might wear off rapidly, according to research on emotions. Since our emotional systems enjoy novelty and change, we easily adjust to pleasant new environments. Thus, the new house, new car, and new spouse cease to feel so novel and thrilling within a very short period of time.
However, appreciation enables us to recognise the worth of anything. We can benefit from it more in this way. It also enables us to engage in life to a greater extent. We can appreciate life more and pay greater attention to the good things that happen in our lives. Rather than growing bored and accustomed to things going our way, we can enjoy the wonderful things in life.
Several research, such as one published in the Journal of Research in Personality in 2008 and led by psychologist Alex Wood, indicate that thankfulness may lessen the incidence and severity of depression. This is due to the fact that thankfulness and envy are incompatible emotions, thus we are unable to feel both at once. Gratitude prevents you from becoming enraged with someone who possesses something that you do not. According to studies, those who are grateful tend to be less enraged and jealous of others.
Several studies have demonstrated that persons who possess an attitude of gratitude are more likely to recover from trauma, misfortune, and suffering. Having gratitude helps people view bad experiences in a different light and can shield them from negative consequences like PTSD and chronic anxiety.
When you are thankful, you recognise and value the things that other people do for you. When you begin to observe the beneficial effects that other people have on your life, you come to understand that you are valuable to other people and that you have the power to positively alter your self-perception.
Therefore, you can still write a thank-you note to someone even if you're not sure whether to send it. You can learn to value the people in your life and turn your attention from unfavourable ideas and emotions by writing the letter.