Are you polite? Did your mother teach you to say please and thank you? Do you consider it good manners to be polite?
Then why is it that so many of us seldom say it, colleagues? When was the last time you said: “thank you”?
Scientists now believe that showing gratitude improves our lives in at least six different ways.
- New Relationships
A 2014 study showed that expressing thanks to a new acquaintance makes people seek a continuation of the relationship. This means that thanking someone for a random act of kindness such as holding open the door or thanking that new colleague with the help they provided you leads to new opportunities. - Better Psychological Health
Robert Emmons concluded, from his studies into well-being and gratitude; that Gratitude reduces envy, resentment, frustration, regret and a host of other toxic emotions. It also builds optimism and counters pessimism. - More Empathy, Less Aggression
Students participating in a study at the University of Kentucky that scored high on Gratitude were shown to be less likely to retaliate against others even when receiving negative feedback. They also experience more sensitivity and empathy towards others and a decreased desire to seek revenge. - Better Self Esteem
People with better self-esteem perform better. Gratitude has also been shown to reduce social comparisons, which leads to resentment and to improve the ability o appreciate the accomplishments of others. - Better Mental Strength
Gratitude has been shown to play an important role in reducing stress as well as overcoming trauma. - Better Sleep
You can improve your sleep by reflecting on what you are grateful for before going to bed. A study in Applied Psychology found it can also improve your quality and duration of sleep.
Make and Impact
This means that not only do we need to increase expressing gratitude but also savouring it. Expressing gratitude can take many forms. Just ensure it is genuine. Appreciating someone and what they do can have benefits lasting from months to years. Remember, people will never know that you think something is worth having if you do not thank them for it. For example, if a colleague delivers a piece of work, always thank them and show/tell them which parts you especially appreciate/welcome. Showing people what you think is good enough is another form of appreciation and taking the time to do so shows them you are grateful.
The Challenge
Each day this week attempt the following:
- Say thank you at least once per day to someone for what they did for you
- Take 15 minutes before you go to bed to reflect on your day and write down at least one thing that you are grateful for.
Thought for the week: “Thanking someone for the ordinary, motivates them to do the extraordinary”To find out if Gratitude is one of your Superpowers take the Superpowers Test and see if it is in your top 5: www.superpowers.info
