As we head into the holiday season, a theme that I hope stays central is gratefulness. I’m writing this in October, and I already have Black Friday sale alerts coming through my email inbox. Christmas wish lists grow without me even trying, and some years, I say I don’t need anything but still somehow manage to very quickly put together a wish list. I try to remind myself of the difference between a want and a need, asking myself: Do I need this, or do I want this? But my self-control is often no match for the marketing I’m bombarded with daily. I’m told that I NEED all of these things, need to go to all of these places, eat at all the restaurants, and have all the experiences. The problem with that is it’s never enough. It can make us lose sight of what is most important—the simple pleasures of a home-cooked meal, handmade crafts, quality time with loved ones, safety, and a roof over our heads.
There are many benefits of practicing gratitude, and here’s a brief overview of some of the research that’s been done. Benefits include improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression and stress (Nelson-Coffey and Coffey, 2023), improved quality and quantity of sleep, higher life satisfaction, and an increased positive affect (Emmons and McCullough, 2003). Gratitude promotes intimacy, closeness, and mutual support within social relationships and seems to have a prosocial effect—social interactions that benefit others (Algoe, 2012). Another study found that gratitude can reduce cellular production of inflammation through a complex mechanism involving the amygdala, monocytes, and inflammatory cytokines (Hazlett, Laura I., et al., 2021). While more studies are needed on the impacts of gratitude, current research suggests that practicing gratitude has the potential to lead to lasting positive changes and can have beneficial effects on our health and overall well-being.
I, unfortunately, have to catch myself and notice my lack of gratefulness. All of the difficult things I’m going through seem to be front of mind, but it takes conscious effort for me to practice gratitude. At the beginning of 2024, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to do a daily journal exercise recommended by Andrew Huberman to capture goal-seeking, emotional health, and motivation. It didn’t have to be long, and it could be in list form, which is right up my alley. It included listing 5 things I am grateful for, plans for the day, fears or resentments, things to watch out for, and things to strive for. I kept up with this journal prompt for a couple of months and then tapered off. What I remember from my experience was how easy it was for me to come up with answers for all of the prompts—except for the 5 things I’m grateful for. It always took me the longest time to sit there, think back, and express gratitude for the small or big things. I could list a couple off the top of my head, but it took me some time to come up with 5, especially on difficult days.
As we enter this holiday season, how can we be more grateful for the things we have, our loved ones, the experiences we’ve had, the memories we’ve made, the lessons we’ve learned, and the ability to take time to pause and reflect? Writing this blog post has reminded me of my 2024 resolution, and it looks like I have two months left before 2025 to finish the year strong.
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Author: Dr. Yelena Okhotin ND, LAc
References:
Algoe, Sara B. “Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships.” Social and Personality Psychology Compass, vol. 6, no. 6, 31 May 2012, pp. 455–469, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00439.x.
Emmons, R., & McCullough, M. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life.. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84 2, 377-89 . https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377.
Hazlett, Laura I., et al. “Exploring neural mechanisms of the health benefits of gratitude in women: A randomized controlled trial.” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, vol. 95, July 2021, pp. 444–453, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2021.04.019.
Nelson-Coffey, S., & Coffey, J. (2023). Gratitude improves parents' well-being and family functioning. Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0001283.
Disclaimer:
This information is generalized and intended for educational purposes only. Due to potential individual contraindications, please see your primary care provider before implementing any strategies in these posts.