gave Thanksgiving holiday It means being grateful for what you have in your life—and being grateful can provide unexpected health boosts.
Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve people’s moods. Mental healthAccording to experts.
In a conversation with Fox News Digital, M. David Rudd, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Memphis, explained how emotional experiences are “defined by cognitive processes,” or how people think. .
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“Thanksgiving is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective is everything in life,” he said.
The link between gratitude and happiness
According to Rudd, gratitude is a “central theme” when it comes to happiness.
Practicing gratitude improves people’s mood and mental health, according to experts. (iStock)
“In general, optimists are happier in life than pessimists, even if their optimism is considered ‘naïve,'” he said. “Gratitude is also more common among optimists.”
The idea that “there is always something to be grateful for in life, regardless of hardships or everyday challenges, is important to one. Optimistic familiarity in life and ultimately happiness,” added Rudd.
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The expert notes that because happy people are more disciplined and generally productive, this proves an “important link” between emotions and motivation.
The relationship between faith and gratitude
The concept of gratitude is intertwined with faith, according to Florida Rabbi Pinchas Taylor, who spoke of early settlers expressing both sentiments.
“When they arrived on these shores, their first instinct was gratitude,” he told Fox News Digital.
“They gave thanks to a God who, in their eyes, had delivered them from danger and allowed them to live freely and faithfully in a new land.”
“Thanksgiving is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective is everything in life,” one expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
A learned behavior
Rudd said gratitude is more than “just an attitude” — it’s also a learned skill that can be “developed with practice,” such as exercise and social connections.
According to clinical psychologist and NYU Langone Health Associate Professor Thea Gallagher, the human brain is “hardwired to be kind of fragile.”
“Gratitude is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective is everything in life.”
“If there’s a shirt and we see a stain on it, we’re going to notice the stain before we see the rest of the shirt,” he illustrated in an interview with Fox News Digital. used as
Instead of focusing on the negative, Gallagher suggests training the mind to focus on the “good stuff.”
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Not to spread “toxic positivity” by pretending “everything is fine,” Gallagher noted.
While acknowledging and addressing challenges is essential. Stress in lifeshe encourages people to highlight and point out the things that are going well or bring joy, and be grateful for them.
Focusing on “connections” rather than disagreements at family gatherings can promote gratitude and positive mental health, one expert said. (iStock)
This exercise can help “bring us back to the present,” which is another way to practice mindfulness, according to Gallagher.
“I have young children, and sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, it’s so stressful, so much work,'” she said. “But if I stop and laugh at something they’ve just done … it brings me back to the moment.”
“Let’s not only celebrate our blessings, but also commit to the faith and ethics that make those blessings possible.”
“And then I can say, ‘Yeah, some parts of this stage are hard and challenging and overwhelming, but other parts are really fun.'”
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Mindfulness techniques are recognized as important and effective methods for mental health. Reduce anxiety And depression, Gallagher added.
One expert recommends writing down three things you’re grateful for at the end of each day, big or small. (iStock)
At the end of the day, Gallagher recommends writing down three things you’re grateful for, big or small.
“You’re actually giving. [these moments] The kind of respect they deserve,” she said.
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Rabbi Taylor added, “This Thanksgiving, let’s not only celebrate our blessings, but also commit to the faith and ethics that make those blessings possible.”