Gratitude.

A short film on gratitude by Louie Schwartzberg.

Gratitude is another key component of THE MEGA SELF program. Numerous studies continue to demonstrate how gratitude increases your happiness and sense of wellbeing. When you focus and bring your attention to feelings of appreciation, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin (two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for your emotions.) These neurotransmitters enhance your mood immediately. Cultivating gratitude does not take much time and it doesn’t cost you anything – the benefits however are enormous.

AIM OF GRATITUDE AS PART OF THE MEGA SELF FRAMEWORK.

As part of the MEGA SELF framework the primary goal of GRATITUDE is to – 

• Improve your overall mood. 
• Strengthen relationships and increase job satisfaction. 
• Used as a tool to reset you into the bottom area of the triangle so that you can be more productive and calmer.  
• Help you feel more satisfied with your life.  
• Improve psychological wellbeing and increases mental strength. 
• Provide you with greater resiliency so you feel empowered to recentre thinking processes into a more positive state. 
• Improve sleep.

BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE AS PART OF THE MEGA SELF FRAMEWORK.

Martin Seligman, a pioneer in the field of positive psychology, has remarked, ‘when we take time to notice the things that go right – it means we are getting a lot of little rewards throughout the day.’

A healthy workplace or school is greatly influenced when we can instil and teach appreciation and ways to express gratitude. 

Here are some other powerful benefits: 

• Gratitude can be used as a powerful tool to reduce stress.  
• Increase connection and resilience. 
• Gratitude helps employees feel valued and supported. 
• Grateful leaders inspire trust and hope. 
• Gratitude can disconnect you from ruminating negative emotions – it can be used as a switch to reconnect you with how you want to feel.  
• Gratitude trains the brain to be more in tune with positive emotions. 
• Gratitude facilitates helping behaviour. 

If you are still feeling unconvinced that gratitude works in the workplace then watch this video below – Four Myths about being grateful at work.

Here are 3 ways to start a gratitude practise.

1. Start a gratitude Journal.

A gratitude journal is an easy way to start training your brain to feel grateful. Spend a few minutes every day reflecting on what you are grateful for. This exercise can help you remember that even if you are going through a challenging time, there are still many things that you can feel grateful for.

2. Connect with your senses through a practise of mindfulness. 

No matter what you are doing, bring your attention to your senses. If you are going for a walk outside you can notice your surroundings. It could be the birds in the sky, the smell of the ocean, the taste of crisp morning air, the feel of the wind as it touches your face. Bring in this awareness and feel gratitude in your body. Connect with awe and curiosity. The more and more you can do this the more you will start training your brain into awareness and gratitude. Your brain is a powerful tool and it only takes 8 weeks to start showing changes to brain patterns.

3. Do a gratitude meditation. 

This type of meditation helps you focus on expressing gratitude for things in your life. This type of meditation is a powerful happiness intervention that can be done every day and leads to higher levels of wellbeing. Here is one of may favourite gratitude meditations.