#159 – How does gratitude change your experience?

"Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you give it to your friend." Gerda Weissman Klein, Polish-American writer, concentration camp survivor.

Giving is so fulfilling for humans, that even in the direst of circumstances, we're drawn to give – up to a certain point: studies have shown that people who have less tend to be more generous and give more (in relative terms) than people who have more.

Why? Because when we give, a few key things happen in our brain:

• It floods with oxytocin (called the "bonding hormone"), which promotes feelings of trust and connection.
• Dopamine, associated with reward and pleasure, increases
• It produces endogenous opioids, which create a mild euphoric feeling

Overall, research published in Nature Communications showed, being generous reduces stress and appears to contribute to longer life expectancy.

Now you may be asking yourself, "what does that have to do with gratitude?"

Well, when someone wants to give you something (money, advice, a book...), you're being generous by accepting it, because you're allowing them to reap the benefits of their own generosity.

And by giving them thanks, your generosity will trigger well-being chemicals in your brain.

So, why not apply this to every circumstance you encounter?

You hate your job and feel you're not valued? Give thanks – living through that challenge is helping you grow.

The street where your bus stops is in construction and the wait times are doubled? Give thanks – you're practicing patience.

Someone got to the machine you wanted to use before you and now they're doing a 35 minute routine on it? Give thanks – improvising will help you get creative.

Give thanks and change your brain. And surely your experience of life will change too.

What current challenge can you be grateful for to change your experience now?

Love,

Carolina