Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions. It counterbalances anger, diminishes fear, improves our physical health and personal relationships. Gratitude even improves our work performance by increasing a sense of value and increasing motivation. Research in neuroscience has shown that gratitude impacts our brain several ways. It fosters cognitive restructuring by evoking positive thoughts, fires up the neural pathways to positive centers, reduces anxiety by regulating stress hormones and enhances the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness-dopamine and serotonin. Gratitude is a powerhouse and the great thing is that gratitude can be cultivated!
A few ways to cultivate gratitude include:
Keep a gratitude journal
Name your gratitudes in your daily prayers
Download a gratitude meditation
Make a gratitude jar with your kids
Here is a list of children’s book on gratitude we are liking right now:
Kimberly Prendergast, LMFT is one of the Owner's of Empire Therapy & Family Services. She has been assisting children, adolescents and families in crisis for over 20 years. Kimberly can be reached at 805.798.3723 or kprendergast@empiretcs.net.
For more information about Kim, see her profile.