The Gratitude Platitude
Blog Update
Positive Psychology• Gratitude studies is a part of a field of psychology
called positive psychology.
• This field is more focused on what’s right with humans, rather than what’s wrong.
• This is Martin Seligman
• He’s called the fatherof positive psychology.
Studies• Seligman studied a lot about well-being. • What he found was that practicing gratitude was
the most effective way to increase happiness and well-being.
• Gratitude was the only treatment that had effects lasting longer than a week.
Gratitude’s Influence• Gratitude increases alertness and feelings of
calmness. • Feelings of gratitude also influence the Vagus nerve
which regulates many of our bodily functions.
• This nerve activation and state switch releases Oxytocin, which creates feelings of trust and love.
Alert or Anxious• Gratitude activatesthe parasympatheticnervous system.
• This calms ourfight or flight response. And relaxes us.
What is Gratitude?• Gratitude has many definitions.
• The simplest way to put it is “being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen.”
The Platitude• A platitude is defined as “a remark or statement
especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.”
• The idea of “being grateful” has become a platitude.
Practicing Gratitude• Everyone always says “be grateful” but there’s
little explanation of how to be grateful.
• Many people understand the concept of gratitude, but have never experienced the benefits.
• This is why they don’t practice gratitude and reap the rewards.
• Let’s look at some ways to practice being grateful.
Practicing Gratitude• Note: I say practice because gratitude is not a switch
you can turn on or off. It takes practice and mastery. Being grateful is a skill.
• You have to retrain your mind to search for positives instead of negatives.
• You have to be grateful for challenges rather than discouraged by problems.
• Consciously choosing this viewpoint will eventually retrain your subconscious to think the same way.
How to practice:• Write down 10 things each morning you are
grateful for. o Focus on the little things. o Take a moment to really appreciate each one of these daily gratitudes
for the influence it has had in your life.
• When an unexpected, negative situation arises look for three positives. Say: o This is good because _______________________o This is great because _______________________o This is wonderful because ______________________
Thanks! • I’m grateful for you, my readers.
• To get more positive, grounded thoughts on all aspects of life, business and networking visit:
UnleashedGrowth.com