Gratitude – The Humble Attitude

Gratitude is a powerful human emotion. The act of humbleness creates a flow of surrender and trust in the ultimate power of the Universe. Every pulse of oxygen you take in is in the hope of releasing it into the atmosphere. As you practice this cycle, you see, think, seek, and do acts in accordance with your conscious and mindful awareness. 

Any one of us today who is very close to oneself never forgets to thank the Universe for whatever blessings have been showered, even without asking. Yes! For a few moments, if we bring all our focus to what we already have, it makes us humble. The self-revision of the habit of complaining subsides, and the expression of gratitude replaces the habit of complaining. 

Resilience at its best 

A few days back, on my way to the office, I suddenly sighted a handicapped boy limping his way to work. He was well-dressed in a corporate look, wearing shimmery shoes and sporting an even more scintillating smile. His eyes twinkled with joy and ambition as he headed to his office. He stooped almost to his knees (possibly due to some spine issues), but he was looking straight up, and his spirits were high. He had the choice to sulk, beg, or give up. But he chose to lift himself from above what he was going through. He shifted his thought process to focusing on the choices he has, rather than what he doesn’t. 

What a beautiful shift! This shift doesn’t happen if you aren’t thankful for what you have or what opportunities life blesses you with. It is a significant transformation of the inner self when being thankful becomes an integral part of your character.  

Habits and Acts influence those around.

Your daily habits and acts are closely monitored and defined by the people around you. Children watch their parents act and absorb what they do more than what they say. Right from the stage of infancy, young ones who are still trying to identify sounds and language are intelligent and sharp enough to do what they see. So, your gestures of expressing thankfulness are a great DNA to be carried down the lineage. Gradually, acts of thankfulness take up more space in the aura than the habit of complaining. 

Medical studies have shown that many harmful and remorseful habits and behaviours can be broken generation after generation through mindful practice, starting from infancy. Mindful practices have changed the identity and character of ongoing generations from their previous lineage.

Neuroscience of Gratitude and its impact on the brain 

Researchers are discovering that this simple practice of gratitude can lead to profound positive changes in mood, resilience, and overall emotional well-being.

The neuroscience of being thankful shows it triggers regions of the brain associated with feelings of contentment and emotional well-being. 

Words cast a spell on us. That’s why spelling. Derived from the Latin word gratia, gratitude means gratefulness or thankfulness. Gratitude in science is the positive acknowledgement of the goodness of life or the good things in life. 

From a neuroscientific perspective, gratitude activates key brain regions, including the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the ventral striatum (a key brain region involved in processing rewards), and the insula. 

One study found that making moral decisions about gratitude activated the right anterior superior temporal cortex. This part of the brain is responsible for emotions, autonomic functions, memory, and reward-related processes.

Regular practice of gratitude can lead to long-term positive transformations in the brain, supporting mental health & resilience. Simple exercises, such as maintaining a gratitude journal, can improve mood, raise compassion & reinforce social bonds. 

Another research confirms that gratitude may lessen feelings of pain by regulating dopamine levels.  

A study by Emmons & McCullough in 2003, known as “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens”, found a positive effect on physical well-being among participants with neuromuscular diseases. The study found that gratitude can enhance present-day affect and also increases the likelihood that people will function optimally in the future. 

A significant benefit gratitude brings is improvement in sleep and a decrease in anxiety. The practice and mindfulness of gratitude relax the brain and heal unattended wounds and past feelings. 

Healthy practices for brain boosting and emotional health

As the clinical aspect demonstrates that gratitude can rewire the brain and alter cognition, the cue is to seek methods to practice thankfulness and reap mental benefits from it.

Self-Admiration

Gratitude starts with self. A simple practice of saying three good things about yourself can boost your confidence and make your brain release good hormones. Positive and beautiful words, such as kindness, compassion, mercy, beauty, and love, can bring notable shifts in your perception and mood. Conceding achievements, efforts, and talent instils in you a sense of self-assurance, a major confidence booster. 

Appreciation Diary

Diary writing is a very healthy and sound habit. Gratitude journals make personal space to write down the things you are grateful for. This is a conscious effort to invest attention and energy in positive zones rather than negative ones. 

Gratitude Method Practice

Write a thank-you letter to someone who helped you or stood with you when no one did. This method is beneficial to both the giver and the receiver. 

Such gestures have a powerful effect on well-being by writing a gratitude letter, delivering it, and reading it aloud to the recipient. Studies have found that Gratitude Method Practice delivers short-term and long-term benefits like general levels of happiness, alignment with purpose and well-being, and better relationships. 

Meditation, Therapy and Exercises

Pausing to be present and reflect on specific people and aspects offers powerful benefits for the brain, mind, and body. Practising gratitude meditation daily, exercising mindfully, and attending counselling sessions have proven to have a profound healing impact on the human mind and body. 

Be Thankful, Be Grateful

The very act of gratitude shows how such a simple emotion has the capacity to change our minds, relationships, DNA down the lineage and general well-being.

Experiencing gratitude influences neural pathways, impacting physiological and psychological health.

Gratitude is one of the most gentle ways to reform, rejuvenate and rewire our mind and body for a much thankful existence on the planet.