Just what does it mean to be happy? This has been debated since ancient times, and it will be a universal topic of discussion for years to come. And while there is no single one-size-fits-all route to happiness and gratitude, there may be some general trends. A person who feels a bit empty or dissatisfied with their life can try a podcast on gratitude, hire a personal life coach, a gratitude coach, or even look for business coaching. Many Americans think that buying more and more material good will lead to a better and happier life, and many advertisements work hard to sell them that idea. But this is not necessarily so, and gratitude for the good things in your life is a much better route to happiness in most cases. Better yet, gratitude costs nothing and can be started at any time. All a person needs is the right attitude and perspective, such as from a podcast on gratitude or the right literature.
Trends on Gratitude and Happiness
The mental health of Americans is tracked nearly as well as our physical health, and that includes attempting to track broad topics such as “are you happy?” or “what are you grateful for?” Already, there is a large body of data to draw from, and some trends have emerged. A 2013 study done by the Journal of Psychosomatic Research says that people who show gratitude in their waking life may actually sleep better at night and fall asleep more easily, and a different study in 2011 says much the same. In that 2011 study, it was found that if a person writes in a gratitude journal, he or she may sleep better. Being clear on what you are grateful for can actually improve your health.
Meanwhile, other studies show that around 69% of Americans are grateful when something unexpected but good happens, and only a minority of Americans, 16% of them, say that it takes something extraordinary to make them feel gratitude. What is more, over half of Americans, 62%, report feeling grateful for their children and family, and 52% of women and 44% of men regularly express gratitude for the good things in their lives. It may be argued that if these numbers are boosted even further, we can have a happy society indeed. How?
Methods for Gratitude
Many things are taken for granted today, and the ill effect of that is these good things become invisible and thus inspire no happiness. A person might think “of course I have a good job!” or “of course I have a car!” or “I live in a first world country. Of course I have lots of things!” But this attitude goes nowhere fast. In fact, taking everything for granted or being too materialistic means getting into a loop of constantly buying new things to feel better and “fill the void,” but this never ends. A much better idea is to practice gratitude and receive never-ending happiness from the things you have.
A podcast on gratitude can help, and a podcast on gratitude can be augmented with books on the topic. Anyone can totally readjust their paradigm of happiness when they break free of the “buy more things” cycle, and this doesn’t have to disrupt their everyday life. A person can listen to a podcast on gratitude while driving in their car (instead of listening to radio ads), turning their car into a mobile lecture hall. During down time, such as waiting in line at the DMV, a person may review books on gratitude, or listen to a podcast on gratitude if they brought headphones.
A person can really be grateful for just about anything, since gratitude means “I’m glad I have this.” Gratitude can be had for a good paying job, for example, or a nice house. These things are not guaranteed to be in your life, and many people desperately want something like that for themselves. Why not appreciate it? The same is true for good health, good friends and a strong social life, a boy/girlfriend or spouse, healthy and happy children, fond memories, and more. Better yet, learning to be grateful for the things you have doesn’t cost anything, since you have those things already. It’s the appreciation that’s new.
The mental health of Americans is tracked nearly as well as our physical health, and that includes attempting to track broad topics such as “are you happy?” or “what are you grateful for?” Already, there is a large body of data to draw from, and some trends have emerged. A 2013 study done by the Journal of Psychosomatic Research says that people who show gratitude in their waking life may actually sleep better at night and fall asleep more easily, and a different study in 2011 says much the same. In that 2011 study, it was found that if a person writes in a gratitude journal, he or she may sleep better. Being clear on what you are grateful for can actually improve your health.
Meanwhile, other studies show that around 69% of Americans are grateful when something unexpected but good happens, and only a minority of Americans, 16% of them, say that it takes something extraordinary to make them feel gratitude. What is more, over half of Americans, 62%, report feeling grateful for their children and family, and 52% of women and 44% of men regularly express gratitude for the good things in their lives. It may be argued that if these numbers are boosted even further, we can have a happy society indeed. How?
Methods for Gratitude
Many things are taken for granted today, and the ill effect of that is these good things become invisible and thus inspire no happiness. A person might think “of course I have a good job!” or “of course I have a car!” or “I live in a first world country. Of course I have lots of things!” But this attitude goes nowhere fast. In fact, taking everything for granted or being too materialistic means getting into a loop of constantly buying new things to feel better and “fill the void,” but this never ends. A much better idea is to practice gratitude and receive never-ending happiness from the things you have.
A podcast on gratitude can help, and a podcast on gratitude can be augmented with books on the topic. Anyone can totally readjust their paradigm of happiness when they break free of the “buy more things” cycle, and this doesn’t have to disrupt their everyday life. A person can listen to a podcast on gratitude while driving in their car (instead of listening to radio ads), turning their car into a mobile lecture hall. During down time, such as waiting in line at the DMV, a person may review books on gratitude, or listen to a podcast on gratitude if they brought headphones.
A person can really be grateful for just about anything, since gratitude means “I’m glad I have this.” Gratitude can be had for a good paying job, for example, or a nice house. These things are not guaranteed to be in your life, and many people desperately want something like that for themselves. Why not appreciate it? The same is true for good health, good friends and a strong social life, a boy/girlfriend or spouse, healthy and happy children, fond memories, and more. Better yet, learning to be grateful for the things you have doesn’t cost anything, since you have those things already. It’s the appreciation that’s new.