Have you ever felt grumpy? Or angry? Or worried? It's impossible to feel happy when you feel negative emotions. The fastest way to shake a bad mood is to count your blessings. Gratitude refocuses us on what we have. Anger, worry, grumpiness, and other negative emotions usually center around what we don't have or what might come in the future. Gratitude brings us into the present moment and returns our focus to what we have, what is good, and what is well. If you want one thing that can dramatically change your life, practice gratitude.

Gratitude effects extend far beyond our mood. Gratitude empowers health mentally, emotionally, physically, and especially spiritually. Read on for the amazing ways gratitude brings about positive health in your life.

Mental Health

Gratitude has profound effects on mental health by reducing anxiety and depression. Practicing gratitude rewires our brains to experience positive thoughts and emotions, which leads to greater joy, more happiness, helps in in our grief, and our overall well-being.

Physical Health

It may not be obvious at first, but gratitude has profound effects on our physical health. The many ways gratitude brings about better mental health manifests in our bodies. Without dwelling on the negative thoughts and emotions, we experience better sleep and lower inflammation  in our bodies, which leads to a stronger immune system. Studies have shown gratitude helps those who have experienced trauma to lessen the effects of PTSD and to heal from the trauma, even after much time has passed. 

Spiritual Health

Gratitude's effects on spirituality are numerous. Self-actualization  is the fulfillment of your full potential as a person. Very few get to this spiritual peak in life, but gratitude accelerates the process, and all of the spiritual giants possess gratitude in vast sums. The grateful person has increased empathy and therefore experiences greater relationships. Gratitude increases our resiliency and inner strength.  Gratitude gives us a connection to the world beyond us and to the entire universe. 

Now that you can see the amazing benefits of gratitude, how can you develop more of it in your life?

• Start with a daily practice. Set aside time each day to intentionally count your blessings.
  
  
• Whenever you are doing something you don't enjoy, reframe the experience with gratitude. If you don't enjoy running errands, be grateful that you have built a life that you love. Running errands is part of the maintenance for your life.
  
  
• Say it out loud. Speak the things for which you are grateful.
  
  
• Write it down. Keep a gratitude journal or jar.
  
  
• Tell the people in your life you are grateful for them and appreciate them. Take the time to write and send cards and letters.

And as always, ensure that you take time to speak words of gratitude to God/Higher Power/Spirit.