Life today is clearly in the fast lane. Most people hit the ground running in the early morning and then crash due to exhaustion after dinner. Stress and anxiety have become a significant part of our daily existence. An “attitude of gratitude” has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety while bringing one closer to God. Let’s take a look.
There is Always a Reason to be Grateful
We’re all grateful for some things in our lives. Parents are grateful for their children, the employed are grateful they have a job, those that are healthy are grateful for their health, etc. How often do we acknowledge the good things in our lives instead of ruminating on the bad? Not surprisingly, we tend to be solely focused on the bad, which adds an extra “tax” onto an already difficult day. We can help change that perspective and relieve the tax on the day by focusing more on being grateful.
A Harvard study conducted in September 2024 showed that gratitude enhances health:
“Gratitude has been one of the most widely studied activities contributing to well-being, but we couldn’t find a single prior study that looked at its effects on mortality and longevity, much to our surprise,” says VanderWeele, co-author of the new research.
Participants with gratitude scores in the highest third at the study’s start had a 9% lower risk of dying over the following four years than participants who scored in the bottom third. This did not change after controlling for physical health, economic circumstances, and other aspects of mental health and well-being. Gratitude seemed to help protect participants from every cause of death studied — including cardiovascular disease.”
How Do I Adopt an “Attitude of Gratitude?”
One of the first answers to come to my mind is, of course, prayer. Thanking our God for all He has given us and recognizing these gifts daily lifts us up and inherently makes the day brighter. Here are some other ways in which to adopt an “Attitude of Gratitude”:
- Keep a “Gratitude Journal” and add to it every day.
- Telling people you love and appreciate them expresses gratitude
- Enjoy nature – marvel at what God has given us by walking, sitting, or pondering the beauty of nature
- Do one act of kindness a day at a minimum
- Limit your access to social media’s negativity. With Lent approaching, “fasting” from social media may remove the negativity and allow you to focus on the gift of Jesus.
We see the magi being grateful for the birth of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 2:11:
“and on entering the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Please let me know what you think of this article. Do you have an “attitude of gratitude?” Please share any comments or experiences in the comments section.
May God give you Peace
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