Modern Body Xperiment

The Gratitude Effect: The Transformative Power and Practices of Gratitude on Wellness

• Dan and Jenni • Season 1 • Episode 6

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Ready for a new perspective on your life? Discover the transformative power of gratitude in this special episode of the Wheel of Wellness podcast. We pull back the curtain on the science of gratitude, revealing how it not only reduces stress and enhances emotional well-being but also improves sleep and strengthens social bonds. You'll be amazed by the neurological changes gratitude brings about and how it can shift your view on life. We even share our personal journeys with gratitude and how nurturing this simple virtue has brought about positive changes in our lives.

In this spirit of thankfulness, we'd love to share with you some practices that can help you cultivate gratitude in your daily routine. We'll guide you through the process of keeping a gratitude journal, reflecting on the positive experiences in your day, and the art of writing gratitude letters. We’ll also introduce the concept of mindful gratitude - a practice that encourages savoring positive experiences and expressing emotions. Finally, we discuss gratitude meditation, a practice designed to foster feelings of thankfulness and contentment. As we wrap up, remember that expressing gratitude can lead to positive change not only in your life, but in the lives of those around you. Happy Thanksgiving to all our listeners - we are deeply grateful for your support!

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Will of Wellness podcast where we embark on a transformative journey through the intricate facets of health and well-being.

Speaker 2:

Join us as we explore the interconnected spokes of the wellness wheel, delving into physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and environmental health.

Speaker 1:

Our experiences in insightful discussions will help empower you to achieve balance and harmony in your life, guiding you towards a healthier, happier you.

Speaker 2:

Get ready to spin the wheel and uncover the secrets of a fulfilling and well-rounded life.

Speaker 1:

Hey guys, welcome back the Wheel of Wellness podcast. I'm Dan.

Speaker 2:

I'm Jenny. Well, it is Thanksgiving, so we're going to do a special episode today on gratitude. Today, we're going to explore the profound benefits of expressing gratitude in our daily lives and embark on a journey to uncover the transformative power that gratitude holds.

Speaker 1:

Today. The gratitude is such a special thing and how you approach it in your life is going to affect many different aspects of it. First, we're going to go over the science of gratitude. We're going to go over different ways that you can express gratitude. But talking about the science of gratitude, research shows that expressing thanks and gratitude can positively impact both your mental and physical health. Gratitude is just not being nice. It's a catalyst for your overall well-being. The science of gratitude really goes into the psychological and physiological mechanisms that underlie the positive effects of expressing thanks and gratitude. Research in psychology and neuroscience has uncovered several key aspects of how gratitude impacts our well-being.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so the first aspect of that would be studies, so neurological changes in studies here using brain imaging techniques like MRIs have shown, expressing gratitude activates brain regions associated with reward, empathy and social bounding. The release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, often referred to as feel-good chemicals, contributes to the positive emotional experience linked to gratitude.

Speaker 1:

If you look at things like dopamine, feel-good and serotonin, serotonin. They use serotonin in a lot of medications for either anxiety or depression. So, anytime they use those markers and those words. You can go ahead and go a little bit deeper in there and see how that affects things, whether good or bad, either the present sub or absence of, but also gratitude aids in stress reduction. It's been found to reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. When people regularly practice gratitude they experience lower overall stress and improve resilience in the faces of challenges.

Speaker 2:

Yes, which brings us to gratitude that enhances emotional well-being. Gratitude has been linked to increased overall life satisfaction and greater sense of happiness. Expressing things actually helps individuals focus on positive aspects of their lives, even in difficult circumstances.

Speaker 1:

That's so true. I mean people. When you express your gratitude, you can focus on the positive aspects of your life rather than looking and saying, man, I wish I was this, I wish I had this, I wish I was at this point in my life. You can be happy about the level that you've achieved and where you're at, and actually the person you are now.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and sometimes that's really hard to do if you're not feeling upbeat that day. Sometimes that's really hard to be able to be positive. But if you can turn that around, your day will turn around.

Speaker 1:

Definitely, you can take your day and turn it into a week, and your week turned into a month and your month turned into a lifetime.

Speaker 2:

You get a lot of health benefits from that, Speaking of which one of those.

Speaker 1:

Gratitude improves your sleep. Gratitude practices have been associated with better sleep quality. Grateful individuals they report falling asleep more easily. They experience fewer sleep disturbances and waking up feeling more refreshed.

Speaker 2:

Yes, that's something we've been working really hard on Very hard, sometimes, too hard sometimes. The next thing is social connection. This is really important too. Gratitude plays a crucial role in building and strengthening social bonds. It really helps in relationships when we express thanks. It fosters a sense of connection and reciprocity, enhancing relationships with friends, family, colleagues.

Speaker 1:

When you let people know that you're thankful for them and the things they do and the people they are in your life, that actually is a reciprocal thing. People feel that you care about them, what you really do, and it's just a much better place for everybody to be in. Gratitude also gives you an ultra perspective. Gratitude can shift your own perspective from a focus on what is lacking to an appreciation for what is present exactly what I was just talking about. This change in your mindset is associated with lower levels of envy and a reduced tendency to compare yourself negatively with others.

Speaker 2:

There are huge health benefits in this. Gratitude practices have been associated with better physical health as well. Research suggests that individuals who regularly express gratitude may experience lower blood pressure, improved immune function and reduce likelihood of developing certain health conditions.

Speaker 1:

That's just amazing. I mean, if you think about those type of benefits, just that alone is going to be a big plus, a big check mark in the boxes you want to check for health and well-being, especially in association to the wheel of wellness.

Speaker 2:

And I can give a good example of blood pressure affecting this. So I had a doctor's appointment. I was running late and I was very frustrated because I got stuck in traffic. Construction had to take a detour and I was so mad. By the time I got to the doctor's office they took my blood pressure. It was a 150 over 101. And he's like oh, you need blood pressure meds. I had been on them previously before until I lost a bunch of weight and was taken off of them. So he instantly gives me a prescription. And I called Dan and I'm like, oh my gosh, like I don't want to take this. And he's like, well, let's just monitor it at home, let's see what it is. So we did that and when I felt positive and happy and I'm at home, and even on days that I had to get ready for work, my blood pressure was like 101 over 67.

Speaker 1:

Your cortisol was lower, your stress was lower and you weren't in that negative of a mind space.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so, needless to say, I have not taken that medication and I haven't had a blood pressure reading like that again really in a very long time.

Speaker 1:

Now, with that being said, you're talking about a long time.

Speaker 1:

The long term effects longitudinal studies indicate that benefits of gratitude are not only immediate but can have lasting effects. Regularly incorporating gratitude into one's life is associated with sustained improvement in mental and physical well-being over time. Longitude studies means long term studies, more or less so. People have been observed and been in studies for a long long term months, years, decades and they found that living in this mind space of gratitude has been beneficial for the long term effect of their life. So if you take a step back and you understand the science behind gratitude, it highlights not just being a subjective feeling but also a measurable and impactful aspect of your human experience. By acknowledging and appreciating the positive elements of our lives, we can tap into the profound benefits that gratitude offers for our overall health and well-being, and that's the aspects of science. If you look at it, gratitude also cultivates positive relationships. You know we talked about that a little bit in the science part of it, but gratitude serves as a powerful catalyst for fostering positive relationships in several ways.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, gratitude also enhances your communication. Expressing gratitude involves effective communication when individuals openly acknowledge and appreciate the efforts or qualities of others. It also strengthens the foundation of positive communication within that relationship.

Speaker 1:

Gratitude. Communication is key in all aspects of a relationship, but especially when you're showing gratitude to one another, gratitude can also build trust. Gratitude contributes to the development of trust between individuals and groups when people feel genuinely appreciated. It establishes a sense of security and reliability in relationships, laying the groundwork for deeper connections.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and also it deepens the emotional connection as well. It involves expressing positive emotions and sharing these emotions with others deepens emotional bonds. When people feel appreciated and valued, it really nurtures a sense of connection that goes beyond surface level interactions.

Speaker 1:

You've felt that when you get into, I know, when I see Jenny, my beautiful wife, my soulmate, my best friend, I see her and it's not just a visual thing, my soul is just comforted when I see her. The below-the-surface level interactions, I just see her and we can communicate and just the feeling of love, gratitude and peace that I get from her. It just deepens our emotional connection by millions of times.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I have to agree with that. You went though.

Speaker 1:

Right now I feel like you're sucking up, but Well, I might be, it's Thanksgiving, I might want to indulge, but here you go. Gratitude also reduces conflict. Gratitude has been linked to conflict resolution in many ways. When individuals are appreciative of one another, it can create a buffer against misunderstandings and conflicts. People are more likely to approach disagreements with a positive mindset when they feel valued by one another.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and it encourages positive interactions. Regular expressions of gratitude create a positive atmosphere within relationships. We do that a lot with each other, which a lot of couples don't do that or they lose sight of that in everyday life. But I think we do a good job of that, which helps our relationship and when individuals feel appreciated, they're more likely to engage in positive interactions, creating a supportive and uplifting dynamic or relationship.

Speaker 1:

Oh, very accurate, very accurate. Positive interactions just makes everything better.

Speaker 2:

No, grant you. Let's be real, not every interaction is positive every day. I mean, you're gonna, you're work human right yeah.

Speaker 1:

I just got accused of sucking up, so yeah.

Speaker 2:

So we're human and we all go through these emotional roller coasters. Not every day is rainbow and sunshine.

Speaker 1:

Not all, but when you have this is the same thing in longitudinal studies and in your life long term when you express gratitude, you express love. You know you can get through these periods, these seconds, these minutes of angst and conflict because you have built this relationship on gratitude, trust and love.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and I think for some people and this doesn't include me on trying to get there, though it does include you when you wake up in the morning, you journal. A lot of people put their gratitude right on the paper First thing in the morning to set your day.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that's. That rolls right into. The next segment that we're going to have here are gratitude practices. Now that we understand all the benefits and all the the great things that we can get from being in a gratitude mindset, let's explore practical ways to incorporate this gratitude into our daily routines. From gratitude journals to simple acts of kindness, let's go on some tips on cultivating an attitude toward thankfulness.

Speaker 2:

Gratitude practices come in various forms, offering individuals diverse ways to cultivate and express thankfulness. Here are different types of gratitude practices that are out there. Like we said, we talked about journaling. I'll let you talk about that because you do that more than I do, which I need to start doing.

Speaker 1:

Well, it's a great practice. It sets my day off right. There's two things that I've always tried to inspire people to do. Well, not always. Since I've been on my mindful journey, gratitude journaling I write down things that I'm grateful for every morning. The two things are, briefly, is in the morning I wake up and I show gratitude for everything that I have in my life. I show gratitude gives me reflection on the positive aspects of my life and fosters a mindset of appreciation. The second thing I do is people. When they get to the other day, they always think about the things they didn't accomplish. Rather than saying, hey, I've got eight things out of my 10 things to do list done, they think about the two things they didn't get done and they go to sleep in a negative mind space. But gratitude journaling starting the day off is a wonderful day, the wonderful thing. I've done it for years. I highly recommend it.

Speaker 2:

What do you think about this, though, because this is something I've thought about you do a gratitude journal. You have three positive things in the morning and then you at night, before you go to bed, because a lot of times, we get in this rat race of the day and we lose focus, and there's probably things that happened throughout the day that was very negative, and you write those down and you say, okay, let me get this off my chest. What could I have done differently to turn this around, to make it positive and then be able to actually use that as a mechanism to reflect it, reflect on and grow from, but also kind of destress the day?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, kind of compartmentalize it to where you I think that's interesting you see, this one incident or this one feeling, this one conversation you had that didn't go exactly the way you planned or it went in a negative consequence, ended up in a negative consequence, you take that, you extract it and you go ahead and examine it to where you set a goal for how you can go ahead and approach it in the next time.

Speaker 2:

Does that what you're saying. Yeah, I think for me that's kind of what I want to start doing, because I feel like in my job it's very high demanding, so sometimes I have really good days and then there's sometimes that usually sometimes something goes sideways.

Speaker 1:

Well, that takes a lot of self-truth and being honest with yourself, because a lot of times we get caught up in this mindset that, like I am 100% right. I stand by this, in this interaction, I am not wrong. If you step back and look at it, you can say I'm not wrong. But maybe I approached it in the wrong way, maybe my tone was wrong.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I think that would help me a lot, because I am responsible for hundreds of employees and sometimes I feel like you know what I'm right and this is the way we're going to do it, and then you know, not really take in that conversation. Probably the way I should have that's interesting.

Speaker 1:

I think that's something we can all try and do as far as being reflective as the day ends and as we wind down our day. I think that's a good thing. That also kind of goes into the next thing that we have as far as our practices three good things. Each day, you try and identify three positive experiences or things that went well. You reflect on these moments and that helps shift focus towards the positive aspects of your life, including also, I should say, on top of looking at the things that didn't go good, that you can improve on.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so maybe you do three positives and three negative things that happen that day and then start with the negative things, that way you can end on a positive note and then that way those negative things can kind of just Reset.

Speaker 1:

Mm-hmm, that sounds good.

Speaker 2:

So the next thing also that could be helpful as a gratitude letter. You can write a letter expressing gratitude to someone who has positively impacted your life. This practice not only acknowledges the impact of others, but also it allows you to share your appreciation of that person.

Speaker 1:

That is interesting. I think that there's a certain generational part of that. I think that people of a certain age would appreciate an actual handwritten letter, whereas nowadays people generally communicate on snapchat and texts and emails Tick tock, tick tock different ways. But if you could sit down and actually write a letter, that would be a special way that you could go ahead and connect with that person. I mean, you might have a special way to leave a note, something for that person that just can express your gratitude form.

Speaker 2:

Just pick up a card, a blank card, and just write in it and send it to them or who doesn't like getting cards right, and if it is a generational thing, I think and a lot of people like to text, that's okay too.

Speaker 2:

You can send a text saying hey, you know what I was thinking about you today and I really appreciate you and just want you to know you know whether it could be an employee hey, you did a great job today and I just want you to know that I appreciate your work, or whatever it could be.

Speaker 1:

That's. That's a very good aspect of it, good practice. I think the next thing that we could actually talk about is mindful gratitude. This is being able to incorporate mindfulness into gratitude by savoring positive experiences. You pay close attention to the sensory details and emotions associated with moments of gratitude, whether you're giving it or receiving it. A lot of times people it goes along with the expression people say You'll forget what people say, but you won't forget how they made you feel. So you can attach certain sensory things to that. You know how you felt about that conversation, the smile that you had, the tightness of the hug you had when you gave that letter of appreciation, that letter of gratitude. Different things can totally be incorporated if, if somebody, how tight they hug you, the the heat of the room, just there's a lot of different sensory details and emotions that you can go ahead and recall in that moment of gratitude.

Speaker 2:

And I'm a little funny about this too, because I'm a very giving person. But when somebody tries to give to me I feel awkward, so I'm like okay.

Speaker 1:

It's an awkward moment.

Speaker 2:

If you're not a big hugger and you're not a big, I don't know just Someone come up to me and say, oh, thank you so much and I appreciate everything you do, and give me a hug. It's a little bit awkward.

Speaker 1:

Mm-hmm.

Speaker 2:

But that's something you just got to work through because you know you need to be able to accept gratitude and appreciation, because it's probably you're probably worth it. Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1:

Oh, everybody's worth it one way or another. Absolutely, that brings us into gratitude. Meditation.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so in this you want to engage in meditation that focuses on gratitude. This involves directing attention to feelings of thankfulness and fostering a sense of calm and contentment. I'm not good at meditation, but this sounds wonderful In theory, it's awesome.

Speaker 1:

No, I have practiced meditation for quite a while. I'm not as deep into it as I have been in the past, but meditation is Life-changing and it's. There's no mystical aspect of it. It's just being able to reach inside yourself, being able to care for yourself, being able to Nurture yourself in a calm way and I struggle with that.

Speaker 2:

So I'm sure there's people out there that struggle with that. But it is a good Practice if you can get Into it. I just. Every time I try, my mind just races. So I gotta figure out to slow that down.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's also one of the reasons why we have, like I don't know, nine or ten different Aspects and practices for gratitude. If this isn't one that you can, maybe it would be the next one. Maybe random backs of kindness would be something that's more your speed Performing small, thoughtful acts for others without expecting anything in return. Observing the positive impact of these actions reinforces a sense of gratitude.

Speaker 2:

This one is so me.

Speaker 1:

It is.

Speaker 2:

I love giving people things that I know they want but maybe couldn't get themselves.

Speaker 1:

Or they wouldn't get for themselves, or they wouldn't right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I am big on that. I like surprising people with things that they really wanted, and it just warms my heart. I love it.

Speaker 1:

That's it's. It's one thing that you do. You dig your heels in. You're really good at that. The next one would be gratitude walks.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, this is another one that I really like as well. This is kind of my way of meditating, so you want to take a walk while consciously focusing on things in your surroundings to be grateful for. The practice combines physical activity with mindful appreciation, like when we go on our hikes. I just love God's creation. It's beautiful, it's calming, all your senses are woken up. It's just, it's great.

Speaker 1:

And talking about the entire aspect of the wheel of wellness gratitude walks. You're able to encompass so many different things and when you approach it in a heartfelt mindset of gratitude, you're dealing with social. If you're walking with somebody. If you're not walking with somebody you're not, but it's still I do. I walk with my soulmate. You deal with the God's environmental wellness that you're dealing with. It's just, it's a wonderful thing.

Speaker 1:

The next thing we would have would be gratitude rituals. That's not really weird, not ominous, don't be weird about it, but you create daily or weekly rituals around expressing gratitude, such as sharing thankful moments during family dinners or during team meetings. I know that I do that. That's one of the things might. One of my rituals is my gratitude journaling. Another thing is me and my wife every night before we go to bed. We started to practice while ago to where we actually get down on our knees at the end of our bed and we pray, and the majority of our time praying is either being grateful for all the things that God has provided for us, being grateful for the people that God has put in our lives, being grateful for the grace and forgiveness that he gives us, or also praying for the other people in our life that we're grateful for.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and that's just a wonderful practice to get into with your or significant other. Also. Another good one is I knew one time I've done this because somebody did it to me so I was giving it back. But in Starbucks line somebody paid for my coffee and so I paid for the person behind me and it kind of just was a chain. Now I don't think the cashier appreciated that too much.

Speaker 1:

I can imagine.

Speaker 2:

But the people behind me were thankful. I was thankful. It was like Wow, somebody looked out for me today.

Speaker 1:

That's amazing and the pay it a head thing, that the pay it a head aspect of it, because for a complete stranger that's. That's awesome.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it's amazing that feeling.

Speaker 1:

So the we kind of broached on this next one. But the next one would be gratitude and prayer.

Speaker 2:

This should be number one. Incorporate expressions of gratitude into your prayers. If you have a religious or spiritual practice, this can deepen that connection between gratitude and faith.

Speaker 1:

There is so much in our religion, in our spiritual experience, that we have to be grateful for, and that is, like I said, when we get together and pray people I'll just go on a little little tangent here. I don't think people pray enough. I know I don't pray enough. You have an. You have an opportunity to pray 24 hours a day. Okay, you pray when you get up. Generally, if people are Christian, they pray at certain times, either pray when they go to bed, they pray at dinners, they play at meals, but you have an opportunity all day long. I mean because if we look around us, I'm looking right now. I'm looking in the eyes of my soulmate. I'm so grateful for her. I'm looking at our house our house, I'm so grateful for it. There's so many things that you can express gratitude and that sets the tone for your life and all the blessings that we have in our life.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, that gets back to saying if you're having a bad day and you're in the midst of something negative, you can just stop, close your eyes, take a deep breath and say a little prayer, and it does kind of help reset that moment.

Speaker 1:

It does. It's amazing. So that is some different practical experiences and practical ways to express gratitude. I would recommend that you choose a gratitude practice that resonates with your preference and fits into your routine, and that way you can contribute significantly to the positive impact of gratitude in your overall well being in your life.

Speaker 2:

So, in conclusion, as we wrap up our exploration of gratitude, remember that expressing thanks is a gift of both ourselves and those around us. The benefits are far reaching, touching every aspect of your lives, so let's embrace the power of gratitude and unlock the potential for positive change. Thank you all for joining us for this special episode and happy Thanksgiving, and we are grateful and thankful that you are listening to us. Until next time, stay thankful.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, guys. I'm looking forward to talking to you again.

Speaker 2:

Bye.