How Being Grateful Brings You Happiness

Video Transcript: Why are you not happy? Is it because you didn’t get the things you want in life? What will bring you happiness?

I believe the reason most people are unhappy isn’t that they didn’t get the things they want in life but that they were ungrateful for the things they have while looking for the things that they want.

I came across children who literally had nothing to eat but were happy to be in school. The beauty of their smiles caught my eye. I realized I was unhappy because I was too focused on the things I didn’t have and forgot how much I had and should be thankful for.

Just AS Confucius said, “I was complaining that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”

It’s easy to complain about the things you don’t have until you meet those who wish they have a little of what you have.

Have you noticed that until you are sick you appreciate health more when you have nothing you wished you had little?

It’s true “you will never know what you have until you lose it”, it’s also true you will never know how happy you can be until you are grateful for what you have.

In a study, 201 students who struggled with depression and anxiety were asked to write 10 weekly diaries focusing on gratitude (blessings), hassles and annoyances. It was found that people who practice gratitude by counting their blessings are usually a lot happier, less depressed, feeling positive about life.

Try this, Start your day by asking “What am I grateful for?” Write them down.  I am grateful for my family, friends, everyone who believed in me, my weirdness, good health, the gift of love, the air, ocean, memories, life, for the opportunity of studying abroad, to God, that all things come from God, the church, food, peace of mind, for each other and for everything.

There’s so much to be grateful for.

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude by being thankful every day.

Being grateful brings you happiness.

Final Thought

Take the time out to recall the things you are grateful for each day.

Study reference:

Emmons Counting Blessings.pdf

Other studies:

• A_study_of_gratitude_and_well_being_among_adolescents
• Development_of_a_measure_of_gratitude_and_relationships
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/
• health.harvard.edu – Giving-th023anks-can-make-you-happier