Gratitude Module – Part 2 of 4
Psych for Life®
Gratitude Module – Part 2 of 4
Hi, I’m Kate. And this is Psych for Life. Now that we’ve learned why gratitude is so important, let’s talk about how we can find gratitude in the moment. Here are five scientifically backed things you can try:
Let’s start getting outside. Researchers have found that exposure to nature can boost our mood, our ability for self-reflection, and our ability to notice and describe good things around us. This connection between nature and positive emotions is actually a two-way street. Feeling connected to nature can increase our feelings of positive emotions, and positive emotions can make us feel more connected to nature.
If you’re in an urban environment, you might want to consider finding a community garden, taking a walk, or simply sitting in the outdoors. And if you can’t get outside, you might want to consider ways to make your indoor environment feel more natural. Research has shown that even having a picture of a natural environment in our office can boost our mood.
Another way to boost gratitude is to build social connections. Having social connections is linked to feeling gratitude, so if you’re going for a walk around the park, consider asking a friend to join you. Other ways to find social connections might include having a game night or volunteering. Also consider small things like learning the name of your store clerk or holding the door for someone. You can even talk to a friend on the phone. But be careful about relying on social media for your social connection, because research has found that it can actually be isolating and make us feel more disconnected.
Consciously look for things to be grateful for. By consistently directing our attention toward things we’re grateful for, we build an attitude of gratitude. Some amount of physical activity can also help us direct our attention in the present moment. This can include walking or running, a breathing activity, progressive relaxation, or even focusing on physical elements of our environment, such as smells or sounds. And if you are out on a walk with a friend, consider talking to them about things around you that you appreciate, such as a cool painting on a wall or just the chance to walk with them.
Writing down your thoughts can also be beneficial to our well-being and our relationships, especially when those thoughts are meaningful. A study by Toepfer and colleagues found that participants who wrote a letter of gratitude once a week for three weeks showed an increase in happiness and life satisfaction, as well as a decrease in depressive symptoms. Two good ways to look for and write down things you’re grateful for include journaling things you feel grateful for, writing a letter to who you feel grateful for, even if you aren’t planning to actually send it. The act of writing this letter alone will help you feel grateful. Writing letters of gratitude by hand or on a computer are both effective, so feel free to write however you prefer.
We go into more depth on how to express gratitude in the next video, so stay tuned. And if the idea of filling out a whole gratitude journal feels like a bit much, check out the gratitude activity included with this module for a fun and easy way to get started.
So here are our key takeaways. In this video, we discussed five ways to feel gratitude: get outside, connect with others consciously, look for things to be grateful for, write down things to be grateful for, and express gratitude. To learn some science-backed ways you can express gratitude in your daily life, join us in the next video.
¡Hola, soy Kate! Y esto es Psicología para la Vida. Ahora que hemos aprendido por qué la gratitud es tan importante, hablemos sobre cómo podemos encontrar gratitud en el momento. Aquí hay cinco cosas científicamente respaldadas que puedes intentar: 1. Sal a la calle. 2. Conéctate con otros. 3. Busca conscientemente cosas por las que estar agradecido. 4. Anota las cosas por las que estás agradecido y 5. Expresa gratitud.
Empecemos saliendo a la calle. Los investigadores han encontrado que la exposición a la naturaleza puede mejorar nuestro estado de ánimo, nuestra capacidad de auto reflexión y nuestra habilidad para notar y describir las cosas buenas que nos rodean. Esta conexión entre la naturaleza y las emociones positivas es en realidad una calle de dos sentidos. Sentirse conectado a la naturaleza puede aumentar nuestros sentimientos de emociones positivas, y las emociones positivas nos pueden hacer sentir más conectados a la naturaleza.
Si estás en un entorno urbano, puedes considerar buscar un jardín comunitario, dar un paseo o simplemente sentarte al aire libre. Y si no puedes salir afuera, puedes considerar maneras de hacer que tu entorno interior se sienta más natural. La investigación ha demostrado que incluso tener una imagen de un entorno natural en nuestro lugar de trabajo puede mejorar nuestro estado de ánimo.
Otra manera de aumentar la gratitud es construir conexiones sociales. Tener conexiones sociales está relacionado con sentir gratitud, así que si estás dando un paseo por el parque, considera preguntar a un amigo para acompañarte. Otras formas de encontrar conexiones sociales pueden incluir tener una noche de juegos o hacer voluntariado. También considera cosas pequeñas como aprender el nombre del cajero de tu tienda o sostener la puerta para alguien. Incluso puedes hablar con un amigo por teléfono. Pero ten cuidado al depender de las redes sociales para tu conexión social, porque la investigación ha encontrado que en realidad puede ser aislante y hacernos sentir más desconectados.
Busca conscientemente cosas por las que estar agradecido. Al dirigir nuestra atención de manera consistente hacia las cosas por las que estamos agradecidos, construimos una actitud de gratitud. Alguna cantidad de actividad física también puede ayudarnos a dirigir nuestra atención en el presente. Esto puede incluir caminar o correr, una actividad de respiración, relajación progresiva o incluso enfocarse en los elementos físicos de nuestro entorno, como olores o sonidos. Y si sales a caminar con un amigo, considera hablar con ellos sobre cosas alrededor tuyo que aprecias, como una pintura interesante en una pared o simplemente la oportunidad de caminar con ellos.
Escribir tus pensamientos también puede ser beneficioso para nuestro bienestar y nuestras relaciones, especialmente cuando esos pensamientos son significativos. Un estudio de Toepfer y colegas encontró que los participantes que escribieron una carta de gratitud una vez a la semana durante tres semanas mostraron un aumento en la felicidad y la satisfacción con la vida, así como una disminución en los síntomas depresivos. Dos buenas formas de buscar y escribir cosas por las que estar agradecido incluyen el diario de cosas por las que estar agradecido, escribir una carta a alguien por quien estar agradecido, incluso si no estás planeando enviarla. El hecho de escribir esta carta sola te ayudará a sentir gratitud. Escribir cartas de gratitud a mano o en una computadora es igual de efectivo, así que siente la libertad de escribir como prefieras.
Entramos en más profundidad sobre cómo expresar gratitud en el próximo video, así que mantente atento. Y si la idea de llenar un diario de gratitud completo te parece mucho, echa un vistazo a la actividad de gratitud incluida con este módulo para comenzar de forma divertida y sencilla.
Entonces, aquí están nuestras principales conclusiones. En este video, discutimos cinco formas de sentir gratitud: sal a la calle, conéctate con otros conscientemente, busca cosas por las que estar agradecido, escribe cosas por las que estar agradecido y expresa gratitud. Para aprender algunas formas científicamente respaldadas para expresar gratitud en tu vida diaria, únete a nosotros en el próximo video.
There is no one right way to find gratitude, and in this video, we will share some simple tools that can help you feel gratitude on a daily basis.
Here are 5 scientifically-backed things you can try…
Kate is a certified Executive Coach, Facilitator, and the Founder of Development Corps.
She has designed and facilitated workshops, team off-sites, and training sessions on a range of topics including executive presence, trust, accountability, effective teams, coaching skills, and dealing with different personalities.
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