Take a moment to be grateful

Even in difficult times we have things to be grateful for.  As a counsellor I find gratitude exercises to be positive and very powerful for clients.

Gratitude can be as simple as being grateful for a sunny day or as complex as gratitude for the opportunity to find your way through an emotional struggle or serious illness.  People often spend time thinking about what they are not grateful for but there is quite a shift when we look at the good things in our lives instead of the negative.

Robert Emmons,  a leading scientific expert on gratitude looks at the physical, social and psychological benefits of gratitude in Why Gratitude Is Good.  His research finds that gratitude can help us have more restorative sleep, be happier and more connected.

In 10 Ways to Be More Grateful  Emmons provides suggestions on how we can integrate gratitude into our daily living. In an inspiring Ted Talk by Benadictine monk David Steindl-Rast the answer is simple “Want to Be Happy? Be Grateful.”

So to help you get going, we’ve added to the Lidkea Stob,  Gratitude board on Pinterest some great strategies to choose from.  Perhaps a 7 day gratitude challenge or the creation of a happiness jar.

So get started, don’t wait, find your way to a more relaxed and happier you. The moment is now!