by Tina Huang, Ph.D., of LifeLong EnerJoy
posted 23 December 2014
For many, holidays are a time to celebrate with family and loved ones. There are so many cultural expectations around holidays that it can make holidays challenging.
If you feel the holiday ho-hums, what can you do to get in that holiday spirit?
Practice Gratitude!
Why?
1. It can make you feel better
In two studies by Michael E. McCullough and Robert A. Emmons, they had subjects either complete a journal to record their gratitude, or their feelings of life burdens. They found that subjects who kept a gratitude journal had a significant increase in well-being, feelings of physical health, exercised more, believed that life was better and had increased optimism.
2. It can make you feel more connected
When you start to express more gratitude, it requires you to see how others have helped you get where you are. This helps foster feelings of affection towards others. If in turn you express it, it increases the chances that the benefactor will want to reciprocate or pay it forward, according to research by McCullough, Marcia B. Kimeldorf, and Adam D. Cohen.
3. It can make you less materialistic
Being grateful for the things that you already have leads you to feel more satisfied. Emily L. Polak and McCullough wrote in ‘The Journal of Happiness’, in 2006, that gratitude might be the antidote to materialism. They say that materialism comes from a feeling of insecurity. People ‘who have not had their basic psychological needs met, such as safety, competence, connectedness and autonomy’ are more likely to be materialistic, according to the Polak/McCullough paper. Studies show that people who have a high level of gratitude are more likely to have below average levels of materialism.
When you are more grateful, you feel more connected to others, you feel the environment is more beneficial, you feel more abundant, and you feel a greater desire to give. These feelings in turn decrease feelings of insecurity and a need to accumulate excessive material wealth.
4. It can help you deal with the punches
Gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving. It can make you happier and healthier, feel more optimistic, and give faith that people, and the universe, are on your side. This can make everything more manageable. This can help you respond better when things don’t go your way, whether it’s financial, or relationship, or career. It will be easier to remember that these punches are temporary, and you’ll be better at seeing the upsides of the situation. Click here for a .pdf on the coping styles of grateful people by Alex M. Wood, Stephen Joseph, and P. Alex.
Luckily, there are plenty to be reasons to be grateful during the holidays in Fremont! The Fremont Chamber of Commerce has a list of events and offerings at area businesses going on over the holidays, and Fremocentrist.com has a community calendar that includes several New Year’s Eve parties taking place here.
Below are important tips for starting your gratitude practice this holiday season:
1. Do it regularly.
Commit and make it a practice. Use specific cues to remind you to be grateful. Do you pass by a certain part of Fremont that you love? Use this landmark or reminder as a cue to think of another reason to be grateful!
2. Keep a gratitude journal
Rick Hanson, Ph.D, author of Hardwiring Happiness, believes our brains are wired for negativity, and that we have to train our brain to see the positive. In Hanson’s article ‘Taking in the Good Practice’, he encourages us to elaborate on what we are appreciating. Use all of your senses, and revel in them. The more sensory details we use to express our gratitude, the more we strengthen those positive memories. If you’d like a reminder of how to revel in a happy memory, think about a positive experience at the Fremont Arts Council Solstice Parade, Fremont Fair, Outdoor Cinema, Fremont Sunday Market, or simply enjoying the sun and fresh air along the waterfront!
3. Remember the hard times
According to Robert Emmons, Ph.D., when you remember how bad things were, it can provide a striking contrast, and it can help you appreciate what you have now.
4. Express your gratitude
The more you share your gratitude, and express it to those around you, the more it will lift the holiday spirits of you and your loved ones. This in turn can inspire them to pass the gratitude and holiday spirits around!
5. Consider volunteering
Volunteering will remind us of our good fortune, and Fremont has many non-profits (Literacy Source, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, B.F. Day Elementary School, etc.) and social service groups (Rotary Club of Fremont, Fremont Baptist Church, The Hallows Church, etc.) that can provide enriching experiences for volunteers.
Remember, a regular gratitude practice will increase your well-being, will help you feel more connected to others and to the abundance of the Universe, and will help you adapt better to your circumstances. This will in turn lift your holiday spirits and make you more compelled to give.
Try using this holiday season to share your gratitude towards people who have made a difference in your life! If all of us did this in Fremont, I know that I for one would be truly grateful!
About The Author: Dr. Tina Enerjoy (Tina Huang) has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and is a holistic healer for a happy and healthy brain at LifeLong EnerJoy. She uses Emotional Freedom Technique, the Emotion Code and the Body Code to help clients release subconscious barriers that get in the way of their personal, professional and wellness goals. She works with clients in Green Lake and via Skype. You can contact her for a free 1 hour consultation at 1-855-ENERJOY.
Related Articles
- When Challenged By Gratitude
- by Tina Huang, Ph.D.
- Literacy Source Makes Opportunities Obtainable
- by Kirby Lindsay, December 5, 2014
- Cancer Sucks: Help LLS Find A Cure
- by Kirby Lindsay, November 14, 2014
©2014 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.