The Power of Gratitude

1. The Power of Gratitude Shaping our Worklife By Practicing Happiness and Positive Attitudes Steve Glass,PhD Brooks College of Interdisciplinary StudiesProfessor, Department of Movement Science

2. How does one improve…..x • Identify your strengths, weaknesses • Set goals • Accept what you cannot change • Work on what you can change • Practice • Practice • Practice • Reassess

3. Hopes and Dreams for this presentation • Define Gratitude • Do we have a “set point” for each of us? • Can Gratitude be learned? • The effects of Gratitude on…. • Obstacles to Gratitude • Your gratitude tool kit (10) Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. -Aesop

4. Defining Gratitude • The positive emotion associated with a gift • Recognizing the gifts you have • Gifts are given without strings • Gifts come in many forms • Gratitude reaffirms our dependency (yikes!) on others. It allows us to receive and motivates us to repay. Name 2 things Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. -William Arthur Ward, 1921-1994

5. A Gratitude Set Point? Set Point (think body temperature). How much of our gratitude attitude is set? -Around 50%..... But it can move! Won the lottery! Lost Job

6. The variations in Feelings We can change the way we react to our circumstances We can make intentional efforts

7. Effect of Journaling • 3 subject groups • One group asked to record occurrences (control) • One group asked to record 5 things for which they felt gratitude • One group asked to record 5 “hassles” Results?

8. Gratitude makes us happier and healthier! • Gratitude group was 25% happier • Fewer illnesses • The effect was lasting (6 months later) • The more we practice gratitude, the more we put events in a positive light. We increase our memory of positive • Shifts the focus on others and not ourselves • Happy marriage- 5:1 Positive: Negative • Failed marriage- 1:1 Spending a little time calculating the number of things that go right is a simple but powerful way to reactivate our sense of wonder & gratitude. Dr Richard Carlson “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”

9. Physical Effect of gratitude • Decrease in bitterness, resentment, stress • Decreased risk of reinfarction in heart disease patients. Heart rhythms stronger. • A study of nuns who journaled showed that the ones who journaled positive events outlived the negative ones by 7 years! Live long… With gratitude

10. More! • Bounce back from tragedy faster • Those with chronic pain.. Show lower amounts • More vitality • Higher self esteem • Optimism, hope • Empathy, willingness to support others • Increased life satisfaction I’ll take some of that!

11. Obstacles to gratitude • Negativity Bias- we tend to perceive inputs as negative… for significant events .. More so! • Consumerism (you don’t have enough, you don’t look good enough, you aren’t rich enough…) • We adapt to the positive • Feelings of self sufficiency, narcissism • Gratitude as weakness?, dependency? • Good news! As we age negative bias decreases (but you really need wrinkle cream)

12. Ingratitude • Some people perceive a gift as a threat to authority or control • Perception of victimhood- blame others • Low self esteem

13. So.. How to cultivate gratitude? • You need: • An elicitor- some circumstance, event… • A response- recognize the event, see the positive component, compare to what could have been • An expressive component- write it down, verbally express thanks, do something for someone else 10 ways…

14. 1. Keep a gratitude journal • Remind yourself of gifts, grace… • Pay attention to events! Notice! • Writing puts thoughts and events in perspective within your life • Avoid redundancy- keep the list fresh Don’t spoil what you have by desiring what you have not Epicurius

15. 2. Remember the bad • Remember the bad things in your life, then look to see where you are: • How you have grown • Are you stronger • Changed? How? • This creates a context for your gratitude for the present.

16. 3. Self Reflection • What have I received? • From others? • By my circumstances, privileges • What have I given? • From my talents, my treasure, my influence, my time.. • What troubles or difficulties have I caused? • By my action…. inaction

17. 4…5..6… • Learn Prayers of Gratitude • Prayers of gratitude correlate with heightened gratitude • Come to Your Senses • Use your sense to be aware of gifts • Health • Smell, memories • Touch, friends, necessities of life • Use Visual Reminders • Notes, posters quotes • Hang out with positive people, positive friends

18. 7…8…9… • Make a vow to Practice gratitude • Public pronouncements carry accountability • Journal! • Watch your language • Language influences thought • Grateful: language of gifts, blessings, fortune • Ungrateful: deprivation, deservingness, “need” • Go through the motions • Act happier… be happier! • Smile, say thank you, laugh at Steve’s jokes

19. 10. Think outside the bun… box • Be grateful to our enemies (Buddhism) • Be grateful for opportunities to practice patience • Be grateful for trials.. They strengthen us • Be grateful for someone who helps you • By helping you they may find their spirit • .. And vice versa Gratitude helps us realize that right now we have enough and we are enough

20. Gratefully Brought to you by Grand Valley! Now go draw your own smile!