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One might
think that Gratitude is a concept
used only in religious or philosophical
discussions. However, upon further investigation, gratitude and
thankfulness can also be related to:
•
Business and Politics,
• Psychology and
• Emotional and Physical Health
THE
PHILOSOPHY OF GRATITUDE
Before exploring
new arenas for understanding Gratitude, it is important to recognize
and review how Gratitude and Thankfulness may work within the
context of our personal lives.
"Gratitude
unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough,
and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion
to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings
peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
~
Melody Beattie ~
Be
Thankful
Be thankful
that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful
for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations, because
they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful
for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy
to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.
The
Path of the Soul
The Hebrew term for gratitude is hikarat hatov, which
means literally, “recognizing the good".
"Practicing
gratitude means recognizing the good that is already yours. When
you live charged with gratitude, you will give thanks for anything
or anyone who has benefited you, whether they meant to or not.
. . Gratitude can’t coexist with arrogance, resentment,
and selfishness. Gratitude doesn’t much like the old cronies
of boredom, despair and taking life for granted.
"
GRATITUDE
IN BUSINESS AND POLITICS
Have
an Attitude of Gratitude
by
Ann Perle
Excerpt from Workforce Magazine
"It
is no secret that companies are struggling to secure employee
commitment these days."
A
USA Today cover story notes:
"A
nationwide survey on the mood of workers reveals lingering
insecurity and unhealed wounds from the downsizing and restructuring
that [continues to batter] Corporate America . . .Workers
are feeling more anxious than ever . . .
"
One
might ask:
"What place
do feelings such as love and gratitude have in the workplace?
Plenty
. . .
Gratitude is appreciation for benefits received . . .
It makes the workplace more meaningful. And where workers
find meaning, they generally find motivation to perpetuate that
sense of meaningfulness. Hence, employees gain commitment.
"
Families
for Peaceful Tomorrows
One might say gratitude and thankfulness play no
part in politics. But consider the following excerpt by a family
member of one lost on 9/11:
"The
loss of my brother on September 11th is immeasurable, unimaginable.
But I do have to accept his death. I cannot change the fact that
he was killed that day. What I can change is my life in response
to his death. I don't want to be filled with hate. I want to replace,
not forget, but replace, images of two burning towers with memories
of the thousands of gestures of kindness and compassion shown
to me and my family in the days after.
"
~ Colleen
Kelly ~
September
11
We
all experienced the pain of 9/11 – some more intensely than
others. But it is the attitudes of gratitude, thankfulness and
forgiveness that allow balance to resume in one’s life after
such intense tragedy. It is gratitude and thankfulness for the
goodness that survives in one’s memory, the commitment to
make meaningful the life of those lost – that has the force
and power to bring forth goodness and unforeseen blessings beyond
one’s expectations.
Andrew Rice, another family member for Peaceful Tomorrows expresses
this so clearly:
"
This is not a
day for victimization, but rather a moment when we come together
and transform the pain and anguish of Sept. 11th into a passionate
and redemptive call for a more just and loving world."
Gratitude
also has a place in business management programs . . .
For
example,
The
Gratitude Attitude is
a program specifically designed for Long Term Care and Senior
Housing Professionals.
Based
on the premise that each of us individually is responsible for
our own happiness and well-being, the purpose of The Gratitude
Attitude is to establish an environment within long term
care and senior housing that promotes a positive philosophy of
life for employees and families.
The reason for this effort is that a negative philosophy or attitude
is contagious and affects the services that we provide and the
way we feel about each other, our families, and ourselves.
There have
been many studies conducted that have proven the benefits of laughter
and the advantages of fun work environments. Based on those studies,
The Gratitude Attitude markets a program that
promises to improve employee retention by using fun and laughter
as tools to promote positive attitudes throughout the work environment.
THE
PSYCHOLOGY OF GRATITUDE
Its Relationship to emotional and physical
health --
Rx
for Life: Gratitude
by Gregg Easterbrook
“Suppose
it is in our self-interest to feel gratitude because it makes
us better people. Surprisingly, that is what research is beginning
to indicate.
Consider what recent academic studies have shown:
1. People who describe themselves as feeling grateful.
. . tend to have higher vitality and more optimism,
suffer less stress, and experience fewer episodes of clinical
depression than the population as a whole.
2. Grateful people tend to be less materialistic than the population
as a whole.
3. Those who keep a “gratitude journal” achieve
better physical health, are more optimistic, exercise more regularly
and describe themselves as happier than the control group.
4. Grateful people are more likely to appreciate the interconnectedness
of all life.
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