Gratitude as a Health Tool

[Epster]

Gratitude can improve your life, and may even save it! No really. Dartmouth posted this web page on the importance of gratitude: http://www.umassd.edu/counseling/forparents/reccomendedreadings/theimportanceofgratitude/

Here’s a clip from that page:

"Researchers ... are turning their attention to the study of gratitude and its relationship to health and mental well-being. I will present some of their findings here to help us understand how gratitude is helpful and why it's important to our well-being.

People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis have been found to exercise more regularly, have fewer physical symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and feel more optimistic about their upcoming week as compared to those who keep journals recording the stressors or neutral events of their lives.

Daily discussion of gratitude results in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, energy, and sleep duration and quality. Grateful people also report lower levels of depression and stress, although they do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.

People who think about, talk about, or write about gratitude daily are more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to another person.

Those with a disposition towards gratitude are found to place less importance on material goods, are less likely to judge their own or others success in terms of possessions accumulated, are less envious of wealthy people, and are more likely to share their possessions with others.

Emerging research suggests that daily gratitude practices may have some preventative benefits in warding of coronary artery disease."

[Epster]

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@wilful wrote:
Epster - Thanks for posting the elk video. It was great! Reminds me of when I usta hunt elk outta Villa Grove. I love them animals. They are magnificent. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to experience them.

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Beyond welcome, @wilful! Yay for having the op to hunt and know this amazing species! 

Agreed: magnificent animals. The valley below us hosts a 75-member herd much of the winter and spring, but they move up the hill in the summer. It's a treat to hear bugling like we did last night, as the local herds are mostly up at Estes Park and RMNP during the rut. I'm guessing the bugling we heard came from one of the 11-bull company that hangs out here pretty much year-round. They're the 'loser boys', the ones who haven't been able to successfully challenge for herd leadership. We chat them up whenever possible; I'm certain they think me a weirdo, as they tend to move a safe distance away when they see me, but then watch and listen as if I was the most fascinating oddity ev-ah.   

[Epster]

Two more points of gratitude this morning: our 3.25 mile walk and fresh-from-the-coop poached eggs. Spoilage and bliss in the small things, I tell ya!

[EveRH]

I am somewhere between feeling "grateful" and "guilty", upon finding out that my town's brush collection period is over, and I don't have to haul 4 bags of vine clipping I collected during my big construction project, out to the curb & dump them out for collection! That was going to be my project this morning, so it's a good thing I read up & realized they're no longer collecting!

The website said that sort of stuff could be brought to the recycling center instead, which would be fine, except it's closed for a big construction project! 😞

[EveRH]

There was a fatal accident on the highway I take Wednesday mornings, to go to my personal trainer's. I am very sorry that it happened, but grateful that it was early in the morning. Although the traffic was horrendous even 3 hours later, and I couldn't get thru in a reasonable time, I could easily turn off & go home again .. and not be stuck on the highway for hours!

[Epster]

Super grateful for the opportunity to visit the wide open and gorgeous wildness that is Wyoming. Yet oh so grateful to be home again.  I s my wee farm. Feeling quite fortunate to have such a lovely property to call home, even while I dream about divesting of this life and enjoying the fulltime RVers lifestyle (for a while).

[Epster]

Beyond grateful to @AARPsneed for tending to the clean up of these forums. Let the agree to disagree politely era begin! (Hm, shall I poke my head in on the political threads? Nah, one more day of vacay, and I should use it wisely...  )

[Epster]

Need a reason to be grateful?

This thread is about the health benefits of gratitude. And there are many. Gratitude can help turn around and stave off depression. 

I just bumped into an article titled: A neuroscience researcher reveals 4 rituals that will make you a happier person

You know I read it, right? Right. Here's a clip:

"... what do neuroscientists say you should do? Ask yourself this question: What am I grateful for?

Yeah, gratitude is awesome … but does it really affect your brain at the biological level? Yup. You know what the antidepressant Wellbutrin does? Boosts the neurotransmitter dopamine. So does gratitude.

Via The Upward Spiral: (<- this is a book)

The benefits of gratitude start with the dopamine system, because feeling grateful activates the brain stem region that produces dopamine. Additionally, gratitude toward others increases activity in social dopamine circuits, which makes social interactions more enjoyable …

Know what Prozac does? Boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin. So does gratitude.

Via The Upward Spiral:

One powerful effect of gratitude is that it can boost serotonin. Trying to think of things you are grateful for forces you to focus on the positive aspects of your life. This simple act increases serotonin production in the anterior cingulate cortex.

I know, sometimes life lands a really mean punch in the gut and it feels like there’s nothing to be grateful for. Guess what?

Doesn’t matter. You don’t have to find anything. It’s the searching that counts.

Via The Upward Spiral:

It’s not finding gratitude that matters most; it’s remembering to look in the first place. Remembering to be grateful is a form of emotional intelligence.

One study found that it actually affected neuron density in both the ventromedial and lateral prefrontal cortex. These density changes suggest that as emotional intelligence increases, the neurons in these areas become more efficient. With higher emotional intelligence, it simply takes less effort to be grateful.

And gratitude doesn’t just make your brain happy — it can also create a positive feedback loop in your relationships. So express that gratitude to the people you care about.

Read the rest of this article here: http://www.businessinsider.com/a-neuroscience-researcher-reveals-4-rituals-that-will-make-you-a-happ...

[Epster]

So much for which to be grateful this morning, but here's one that doesn't happen every day: AARP Travel Center just gave me the opportunity to rate and comment on the hotel room we booked through them (saving about $100). Nice, especially since the shower installation left a little something to be desired in the safety department. Grateful for the savings, sure, but more grateful to be able to report the potential danger to an organization with a louder voice than mine. (Yep: I did mention the flaw to the front desk, and no, I don't think that comment went any farther than that.)

[EveRH]

@Epster - I wonder if it will go any further with AARP! 😞

[Epster]

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@EveRH wrote:

@Epster - I wonder if it will go any further with AARP! 😞

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Ha! Right. Notice I said I was grateful for the opportunity to rate and comment, rather than any action they may or may not take. Hope, you know, it's the grease in the wagon wheel of gratitude... (<- yep, saw lots of the emigrant trail(s) this trip)

[EveRH]

It's good to see you back .. and that you changed your screen name back!

Hope you'll post some photos too!

I've been remiss in posting here. I'm grateful that my big masonry project is 98% complete as of this afternoon, and looks very nice! Next comes some tree work .. 3 to take down, and 2 + shrubs to be planted.

[Epster]

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@EveRHwrote:

It's good to see you back .. and that you changed your screen name back!

Hope you'll post some photos too!

I've been remiss in posting here. I'm grateful that my big masonry project is 98% complete as of this afternoon, and looks very nice! Next comes some tree work .. 3 to take down, and 2 + shrubs to be planted.

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Thanks! We were caught in both a grizzly and a bison jam! Shot video and stills of both, so yeppers: more to come!

[EveRH]

I'm grateful that it's significantly cooler today; actually wore sweats outside!

[EveRH]

No clan tartan?

I have an online friend in Scotland, and one time I thought it might be neat to get a fancy sporran, as a purse .. until I priced them! The ones with fur get very expensive!

[Epster]

Super grateful for the diversity of talents on this planet. At the Highland Games were  talented muscians, weavers, leatherworkers, chefs, dancers, comics... fun to witness the diversity. 

[Epster]

Grateful for a week with many plates in the air. Certainly will not be bored! (zoom, zoom)

[Epster]

Imma take a break from the forums and am grateful for the opportunity to leave you with the following information.  

The 37 Best Websites to Learn Something New

(Note: all story links (to learning web sites) are here, at Time: 

http://time.com/4032036/best-websites-learn-something-new/ ) <- 10/3: broken link fixed

Expand your knowledge

Forget overpriced schools, long days in a crowded classroom, and pitifully poor results. These websites and apps cover myriads of science, art, and technology topics. They will teach you practically anything, from making hummus to building apps in node.js, most of them for free. There is absolutely no excuse for you not to master a new skill, expand your knowledge, or eventually boost your career. You can learn interactively at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home. It’s hard to imagine how much easier it can possibly be. Honestly, what are you waiting for?

Take an Online Course

edX — Take online courses from the world’s best universities.

Coursera — Take the world’s best courses, online, for free.

Coursmos — Take a micro-course anytime you want, on any device.

Highbrow — Get bite-sized daily courses to your inbox.

Skillshare — Online classes and projects that unlock your creativity.

Curious — Grow your skills with online video lessons.

lynda.com — Learn technology, creative and business skills.

CreativeLive — Take free creative classes from the world’s top experts.

Udemy — Learn real world skills online.

Learn How to Code

Codecademy — Learn to code interactively, for free.

Stuk.io — Learn how to code from scratch.

Udacity — Earn a Nanodegree recognized by industry leaders.

Platzi — Live streaming classes on design, marketing and code.

Learnable — The best way to learn web development.

Code School — Learn to code by doing.

Thinkful — Advance your career with 1-on-1 mentorship.

Code.org — Start learning today with easy tutorials.

BaseRails — Master Ruby on Rails and other web technologies.

Treehouse — Learn HTML, CSS, iPhone apps & more.

One Month — Learn to code and build web applications in one month.

Dash — Learn to make awesome websites.

Learn to Work With Data

DataCamp — Online R tutorials and data science courses.

DataQuest — Learn data science in your browser.

DataMonkey — Develop your analytical skills in a simple, yet fun way.

Learn New Languages

Duolingo — Learn a language for free.

Lingvist — Learn a language in 200 hours.

Busuu — The free language learning community.

Memrise — Use flashcards to learn vocabulary.

Learn all about it here: http://time.com/4032036/best-websites-learn-something-new/

[wilful]

"off-topic content removed by author"

Content musta included "lipstick".

[Epster]

I am grateful that no matter what happened yesterday, we can choose to hope for better on this day, and in the days to come. To hope!

[Epster]

I am grateful that each individual has been given gifts and skills, and that these things shape our lives and our person.

[Epster]

I am grateful for the artistry found in the natural world, the fact that design patterns can be found, enjoyed and even reproduced in one's own art work.

[Epster]

I am grateful for a long marriage.

[Epster]

I am grateful for good health and that DH and I are committed to physical fitness. Yes, sometimes it appears we are addicted to physical fitness, but for this, too, I am grateful. 

[wilful]

I'm grateful for the gorgeous sunrise this morning. The constantly changing red, gold, blue, white display was exhilarating!

Truly - "The sky is the daily bread of the eyes".

[Epster]

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@wilfulwrote:
I'm grateful for the gorgeous sunrise this morning. The constantly changing red, gold, blue, white display was exhilarating!

Truly - "The sky is the daily bread of the eyes".

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Good day to you!

And I so agree with your quote! 

[Epster]

I'm grateful I'm not in charge of prison reform.

[Epster]

I'm grateful I have nothing to prove to anyone and that the sun comes up no matter what and that fall temperatures have arrived and that the cooler temps seem to have made the local birds happy and that for the first time in what seems like years there was no major fire in our area during fire season (which, I guess, is technically still on), and that I am able to freewrite a half dozen points of gratitude.

Weeee! 

[EveRH]

@Epster wrote:

I'm a Laurie (which is Gordon Highlander). my people are form the Orkneys.  He's just a Brit, poor boy.

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Have you watched the BBC series "Shetland" on PBS? That sent me to the map, to see where the Shetland & Orkney Islands are! While the Orkneys are right off the tip of Scotland, the Shetlands are 1/2 way to Norway .. and belonged to them at one time!