Gratitude and Health

Posted on August 1, 2008
Filed Under Uncategorized

One virtue that a lot of people lose sight of is that of simple gratitude. Many of us are quick to lament anything about our lives that is not perfect, but we take the positive gifts that we enjoy for granted. When I hear people complain about various things, I try to empathize, but more often than not I feel as though they are placing too great of an emphasis on the few things that may be lacking, and none at all on the many things about their lives that are good and in place.

Perspective is everything, and looking at things from a positive perspective is actually very good for your health. We have all heard people complain about their jobs, and of course every job has its ups and down, but there are folks who are constantly saying negative things about the places that they work, so much so that it becomes sort of a lifestyle. When I hear their stories I can sometimes relate, but in the end, I try to remind them that they should be grateful that they have a job. I ask if they would be happier broke and looking through the help wanted listings. This usually changes their perspective, if only for a long moment.

Gratitude is powerful, and reaching for the feeling of gratitude is a great way to achieve balance, because the vast majority of us truly have a lot to be thankful for. Nothing is owed to any of us, so whatever we have is a gift in a way, and when you are given a gift, you feel grateful.

In the article “Boost Your Health With a Dose of Gratitude,” Elizabeth Heubek quotes University of California at Davis professor Robert Emmons:

“Thousands of years of literature talk about the benefits of cultivating gratefulness as a virtue…Grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, regular physical examinations.”

I recently read a book by the Japanese researcher Masaru Emoto called The Message From Water. He was contemplating the fact that every snowflake that has ever fallen on earth has a unique crystalline structure, and he wondered what would happen if he froze droplets of water and observed them under a dark field microscope that was equipped with the ability to take pictures.

When he did it he found that the water’s molecular structure changed based on a number of factors. The original source of the water was important, as you might expect. But he experimented with less conventional ideas as well. Crystals that were formed when he froze the water looked different when exposed to different types of music, when he spoke different words in different tones around the water, or even when he attached a word or words written on a piece of paper to the receptacle that contained the water. Emoto found that the word “gratitude” caused the water to form what he considered to be the most beautiful crystals of all.

Life can be hectic and often times confusing, but I find that if I stay present in the here and now, everything is fine. It is only when you allow yourself to wander out of this moment that you find yourself worrying or entertaining negative thoughts and emotions. I try to remember that I am alive and well, and I have everything that I need in this moment. And for that, I am grateful, and I think that this is one of the reason that I enjoy good health.