Being grateful helps us feel happier, less envious, less attached to material things and much more open to being kind to those around us.
It’s impossible to feel grateful and angry at the same time, so start and end your day thinking about all the things you have to be thankful for. There is always something … having someone who cares about you, fresh air in your lungs, food, shelter, or the capacity to love. Showing gratitude for even the littlest things that make up our day – a good cup of coffee, a few minutes of extra sleep or a beautiful flower in the garden – can have a positive effect on our well-being and increase our capacity for kindness.
People who are grateful tend to be happier than those who are not. A study compared people keeping a list of their blessings with people listing their hassles and found that the blessings group were 25 per cent happier than the hassles group, feeling more joyful, enthusiastic, strong and attentive.
– David R. Hamilton, Ph.D., from Why Kindness Is Good for You
