The other day I was reading about a scientific study of gratitude performed with psychiatric patients at a university.
The 30 day study included around 100 patients, many of them veterans with PTSD. The results showed, among other things, that depression was lowered by half among many of the participants.
The study was simple: participants were to write a list each day of ten things they had gratitude for. The researchers were surprised at the results.
Measures of depression went down among many of participants. Others had a drop in anxiety. Others became less hostile and expressed compassion for others. None of the participants became worse.
I know that when I look at the world with gratitude my life is better on most every level. If I'm ungrateful or having other negative emotions my whole world is darker and I'm not nearly as productive.
I believe one of the reasons gratitude works is that I have to look inward, as opposed to always looking outward. So how do I find things to have gratitude for?
I find a lot of things while driving the three miles to my job. A homeless guy pushing a couple of carts. A woman curled up in a pile of rags outside Circle K. A man struggling to push his wheelchair in the blazing sun.
There's no shortage of things to be grateful for. Look around you. Watch the news. Everywhere there's something that will provide you with material for your gratitude list.
Have gratitude for the sponsor that tells you to write three things you're grateful for every morning. Put him on the list - because he's trying to save your life.
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