A simple hack that can transform your brain!

What if I told you that one simple practice could change your outlook, your in-the-moment presence, and might even have an impact on your bottom line?

Would you do it? Absolutely.

Here’s the action: be grateful. That’s it. Two words that can literally change your wiring and change your outlook.

The impact of gratitude on your health: The practice of gratitude has been linked to health benefits including better sleep, increased immune function, reduced stress levels, lower cortisol and reduced incidents of depression. Positive Psychology also tells us that “a brain filled with gratitude and kindness is more likely to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and energetic every morning (Zahn et al., 2009).”

The impact on of gratitude on your team and your business: UC Berkley’s Greater Good magazine highlighted the impact of gratitude at work: “Evidence suggests that gratitude and appreciation contribute to the kind of workplace environments where employees actually want to come to work and don’t feel like cogs in a machine.

Gratitude tends to emerge in workplaces with more “perceived organizational support” - where employees believe that the company values their contributions, and cares about their well-being. And caring means valuing employee health and happiness for their own sake, not just as a way to eke out longer work hours and greater productivity… “You have to genuinely want the best for your people.” according to Steve Foran, founder of Gratitude at Work.

 So, if gratitude is foundational to building a better workplace, to increased employee engagement and satisfaction – and has the added benefit of improving your own health…where can you start?

 Try these simple ways to practice gratitude:

Look around: there is so much to be grateful for! Look out the window; look at the photos on your desk; take a moment to be thankful for the work you do each day. This small pause can be like hitting the refresh button for your brain.

Breathe in “thank” and breathe out “you”: my yoga teacher points out that you don’t even have to be specific who you’re thanking – just the act of gratitude is enough.

Say thanks with an unexpected treat: a client brought me a tea this afternoon. Made my day. Small unexpected kindnesses can go a long way.

Write a thank you note: what a lovely and more and more obsolete practice. I recently wrote a thank you note to my sister…and felt better just knowing that I’d sealed my good intentions in the envelope and sent it her way. 

Keep a gratitude journal: this is great for those of you who are list-makers. Each day, jot down just three or four things that you’re grateful for: it could be a meeting that went well, an agreement with a client, or maybe just a traffic-free commute. According to Positive Psychology, “keeping a gratitude journal causes less stress, improves the quality of sleep, and builds emotional awareness (Seligman, Steen, Park and Peterson, 2005).”

Say your thanks before you get out of bed in the morning: I’m not much of a morning person. At all. But each day, before I get out of bed, I think of five things for which I’m grateful. It’s a beautiful way to ease into the day, and reminds me of just how very much I have to be grateful for!

Recount your blessings at the end of the day: Remember that amazing sunrise you saw this morning? The employee of yours who gave even more than you expected for a presentation? Or the fact that you didn’t have to wait in line at the grocery store at the end of the day? All reasons to be grateful.

One final note on gratitude: research tells us that the practice of gratitude is actually self-reinforcing: the more we are grateful, the more grateful we are. “It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness.”

In the spirit of gratitude, thank YOU for being a part of our community!