What is practicing gratitude?

Gratitude is something that anyone can practise, anywhere and at any time. It doesn’t cost anything and can be truly life-changing. 

When was the last time you stopped to smell the roses? To sit and say thanks? If you can’t remember, you’re missing out. Without gratitude and appreciation, regardless of your success, you may be in danger of creating an unhappy prison for yourself.

Take, for example, the words of Confucius “The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” What’s the point of moving mountains if you can’t enjoy the journey?

Stopping to reflect and appreciate the good things in life will impact your health and everyday enjoyment. Life is a journey to be enjoyed and appreciated, not endured. Life won’t be devoid of bad times and imperfections, but there’s beauty in that if you know how to look for it.

The latest research on gratitude.

The latest research shows that a gratitude practice can be one of the biggest game changers end of story, but when it comes to our brain it’s particularly interesting.

Research shows gratitude helps to reduce stress and anxiety while increasing happiness and optimism. A pretty good silver bullet right?

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle, and the other is as if everything is a miracle.” ― Albert Einstein

In recent years, scientists have been studying the neuroscience of gratitude and how it affects the brain.

Key benefits to practicing gratitude

Gratitude increases activity in the prefrontal cortex.

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, emotional regulation, and empathy. Studies have shown that when we experience gratitude, there is increased activity in this area of the brain, which can lead to improved mental and emotional health.

This part of the brain is super important, as it’s the part of the brain responsible for purposeful actions towards higher-level goals, complex social information processing, introspection, and language.

Gratitude stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin.

Who doesn’t like some happy chemicals? No… not that kind. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters that are associated with feelings of pleasure and happiness. When we experience gratitude, the brain releases more of these chemicals, which can improve our mood and overall well-being.

Gratitude reduces the effects of stress on the body.

Stress can have negative effects on the body, including increased inflammation and a weakened immune system. You only need to look at how every Prime Minster of the UK seems to age faster than those around them. Studies have shown that practising gratitude can help reduce the effects of stress on the body, leading to improved physical health.

Gratitude can improve sleep quality.

Research has shown that people who practice gratitude before bed have better sleep quality and duration. This may be because gratitude can reduce stress and anxiety, both of which can interfere with sleep.

Gratitude can improve self-esteem.

When we feel grateful for the positive aspects of our lives, we are more likely to feel good about ourselves and our accomplishments. This can lead to improved self-esteem and self-confidence. With more of those we generally accomplish more and then the cycle continues!

Gratitude can improve resilience.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude are more resilient and better able to cope with challenges and adversity. With more resilience, you will be able to return to your baseline level of happiness quicker than your average catastrophiser.

Building gratitude into your daily life.

By incorporating gratitude into our daily lives, we can reap the many benefits of this powerful emotion physically and mentally.

We have found that it is like building muscle. The more you train it, the stronger it gets. Gratitude being a core part of the Evolve Journal we have seen people’s entire outlook shift during their Evolve Journey from pessimistic and negative to a perspective that looks first the upside. This shift in perspective lifts a massive weight off people’s shoulders and will start to create all sorts of positive feedback loops with their other actions. For example, they show up and appreciate their relationships which in turn strengthens them.

To try gratitude today and build a daily habit, just like Confucius says, start with just one small stone. Get a pen and paper and write down some things that make you smile. Try to think about what you feel gratitude for. It could be your good health, a great evening with friends, your chance to travel this month, your new comfy slippers you name it, big or small, it's yours to appreciate. Do this daily, and don’t worry if some things repeat. Practicing gratitude plays a key part in achieving happiness. This is why we have included a specific section to remind you to practice this skill in our journal.

If you want to make it a daily habit then habit stacking is your friend. Find something you do every day without question. Put your piece of paper and pen next to it to serve as your reminder. An example would be leaving your house keys on top of your journal.

Next time you get shit on by a bird, remember they’re just bestowing good fortune on you. There’s always a silver lining. Some might even leave a stain.

Would you describe yourself as a pessimist or an optimist? 

I personally used to be a raging pessimist. Quite literally raging every time I was slightly hungry, my emotional age regressed by decades, leaving me a child-man incapable of dealing with anything. Somewhat problematically, this even included choosing which food to calm the hungry beast.

Today I would identify as an optimistic person. This was thanks to lots of work on myself, reflection and desire to change my mindset (and diet). First, counterintuitively I scrapped breakfast, and then I ditched fast-release carbohydrates. Now hanger is a thing of the past.

For you, is the glass half full, or is it half empty? And is the little water there is stagnant? Maybe you've never considered this. Or perhaps not wanting to seem like Eeyore you've rebranded yourself into a realist.

In this blog, we'll explore how your outlook on life can impact your health and general wellness. Research shows that how we think can significantly impact our life expectancy. Optimists tend to live 11-15% longer than pessimists.

What is optimism?

Optimism – hopefulness and confidence about the future or the success of something.

What is pessimism?

Pessimism - a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope." – Helen Keller.

But optimism isn't just positive thinking and daydreaming. It's the ability to focus on a positive outcome, invest, act, and put time into a desired result.

Where pessimists may become overwhelmed, stressed and negative about things they cannot control generally, optimists will focus on what they can change and put in the effort to make it happen.

Now this isn't to say that any level of scepticism is unhealthy. Preparing for the worst but expecting the best is an approach that leads to the best outcomes.

The Health Effects of Pessimism and Optimism

As consumer sentiment changes, outcomes follow, and you can see pessimism play out across a whole economy. People's attitudes towards the future change their behaviour, which has a knock-on effect.

The same is true with people's health. The more they worry and are convinced of doom and gloom, the more their stress increases, along with the risk of depression, anxiety and decreased immune system function, like taking a negative placebo.

The inverse is true for optimists. They see lower stress levels, better emotional resilience, and stronger immune system function. All of this combines to help them live longer, likely more fulfilling lives than their pessimist counterparts.

Learned optimism

One of the beautiful quirks of existing as a human being is that you get to enjoy your ability to choose. To choose how you think or feel, in other words, to change your mindset.

Take Christian Picciolini, for example. He was a radical Neo-Nazi, a leader of the movement in the US in the 80s & 90s, recruiting over 100 members himself. Since then, he has taken a complete U-turn and is a leading voice campaigning against extremism. He has now made it his life's mission to help people leave the very movement he was so absorbed in.

Your current mindset, no matter how ingrained it feels, is not fixed. You have the power to change and reap the benefits of a perspective that serves you, your health and your relationships.

Strategies for Practising Optimism:

Reframing the negative

• Look for the silver lining or the chance to learn; the obstacle will likely change into an opportunity.

Practising gratitude

• When we experience gratitude, our brains release chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin, associated with happiness and well-being. Over time, this can strengthen the neural pathways associated with positive thinking and emotions, making it easier to feel grateful and optimistic.
• We suggest keeping a gratitude journal or taking time each day to reflect on what you are thankful for.

Surrounding oneself with positive people.

• Spending time with people who uplift and support you can help you maintain a positive outlook and stay motivated towards your goals.

A lot of stuff is just in our heads. Even if being pessimistic didn't negatively impact health and how pleasant you are to be around (which it does), being too fixated on things you can't control is ultimately not the recipe for success. 

Pursuing a mindset of acceptance and equanimity allows you to thrive in the good and the bad. Accepting things and not allowing external events to disturb your inner tranquillity. This attitude involves recognising that some things are beyond our control and focusing instead on what we can control: our own thoughts, emotions, and actions.

With time and effort, you can shift your mindset towards a more positive outlook and live a happier, more fulfilling life.

What can we learn from Socrates?

It is said you have three deaths.

"The first is when the body ceases to function. The second is when the body is consigned to the grave. The third is that moment, sometime in the future, when your name is spoken for the last time." ― David M. Eagleman

One man still yet to have his third death is Socrates, despite living 2,500 years ago. We'll explore why in this blog.

Ancient Wisdom in Modern Live

In an increasingly complex and challenging world, it can be helpful to look back to the wisdom of the past to find guidance for living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Leveraging ancient knowledge is akin to looking at a completed puzzle picture. Of course, you get to the answers more efficiently, but you still get the joy of completing the puzzle and the journey along the way.

One man with an absurd amount of wisdom is Socrates.

Who was Socrates, and why is he important today?

A moral philosopher that challenged everything but was wise enough to know his own limitations has much to teach us about navigating modern life's overwhelming nonsense. Check out our other blogs for more context on why we are so ill-equipped to thrive in contemporary life.

His dictum, "The unexamined life is not worth living", has greatly influenced us, helping us create the Evolve Journal.

In this blog post, we'll learn how to apply his teachings to our daily lives for a happier and healthier life.

Socrates lived in Athens during the 5th century BCE. This was a time when society was structured in a way that allowed philosophers to set about trying to answer some fundamental questions as their profession. They were thinking about questions like 'what does it mean for human beings to truly flourish?'.

It was their job to figure this out, and they spent a heck of a lot of time speaking to one another and made a lot of progress in this area.

Socrates is known for his focus on self-examination, belief in the pursuit of knowledge, and commitment to questioning assumptions. Very much seen as the godfather of Western Philosophy, he was the first in a long line of big hitters having influenced the works of Plato and Aristotle. 

In fact, you can see his influence throughout history. In the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin recommended people study Socrates' life and teachings to develop their own character and wisdom. So let's do just that.

How can we learn from Socrates and his life for our own well-being?

Practice self-examination.

Take time to reflect on your own beliefs, values, and assumptions. Be willing to question yourself and consider alternative perspectives. When you ask these questions and doubt that you fully know yourself, you will start to understand yourself better. Journaling and putting pen to paper here can be immensely helpful in organising the chaos of our thoughts. It can help us to structure the answers to the most critical questions.

Question assumptions.

There's a good chance you're wrong and what you predict is inaccurate. Don't take things at face value. Be willing to challenge conventional wisdom and look for evidence to support different viewpoints. Lots of what we do daily we're running on autopilot. Don't assume you know others' thoughts or motivations when interacting with people. Ask questions and listen actively to gain a deeper understanding.

Pursue knowledge.

We may not have the luxury of spending all the time Socrates had to ponder life's big questions. Still, you will find fulfilment by committing to learning and seeking opportunities to expand your understanding of the world. Read books, engage in meaningful conversations with others, and utilise the almost unlimited tools available today to go down the rabbit holes of your interests. The more you know, the more you will realise how little you know.

Pause before acting.

When experiencing strong emotions or reactions, don't assume that your initial interpretation of the situation is accurate. Take time to reflect on your feelings and consider alternative explanations.

Here are some final questions you can take away and some ideas for further reading.

1. What do I believe about myself, others, and the world?
2. Are these beliefs based on evidence or assumptions?
3. How do my thoughts impact my behaviour and decisions?
4. How can I use my strengths and passions to contribute to the world around me?

Recommended further research:

1. Lessons from "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius
2. "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl, our blog here.
3. Carol Dweck's "Mindset: How You Can Fulfil Your Potential", our blog here.