Well, 2020 certainly has not panned out to be the best year ever. I do strongly believe, though, that happiness to a majority extent comes from within and not without. We can find happiness in all of this if we look around a bit. I wanted to share one strategy I’ve been using to influence my happiness despite our external environment. That strategy is practicing gratitude. Research has shown that the expression of gratitude increases production of serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good hormone that is produced when we are happy. Research has also linked gratitude with increased immune function, decreased sugar intake, improved sleep, and a whole lot of other benefits.
You can achieve these benefits and practice gratitude through many means. Be creative. You can use a journal, you can do it through meditation. But the best way is through expressing gratitude directly to a person who you are grateful for. The bonus with the latter is you are brightening two peoples’ day, and in turn hopefully setting off a chain reaction affecting many others who might need a lift. You achieve better results if your gratitude is recognized toward immaterial things in your life like situations and people rather than “stuff”. Maybe start small, like start the morning with coffee and a thought of gratitude.
Work your way into it from there.
Enjoy.
Be well.
I appreciate you.
