The Health Benefits of Gratitude
We are fast approaching Thanksgiving, a holiday that brings with it many things. Football, home cooked meals, and time with family and friends. Perhaps more than anything, as the name implies, it is a holiday about giving thanks. Not only can this make for some truly meaningful dinner table conversations, the act of giving thanks can lead to significant positive benefits to your mental health. Gratitude has been regularly associated with happiness, and taking time to express feelings of appreciation helps people experience more positive emotions, improve their mental and physical health, and build strong relationships. Expressing gratitude can take many forms. Harvard Health makes a few suggestions, such as writing somebody a thank you note to somebody you appreciate, telling them how you feel. Don’t have time for that? Even taking a pause to mentally thank somebody can still provide benefits! Gratitude doesn’t need to be expressed towards others to be helpful. Studies show that keepin...