Neuroscience Reveals: Gratitude Literally Rewires Your Brain to be Happier

Merin Porter

"When you say 'thank you,' do you really mean it or is it just politeness to which you give little attention? Neuroscientists have found that if you really feel it when you say it, you’ll be happier and healthier. The regular practice of expressing gratitude is not a New Age fad; it’s a facet of the human condition that reaps true benefits to those who mean it."

https://dailyhealthpost.com/gratitude-rewires-brain-happier/

Marjory Wildcraft

I totally get that - you are what you think...

thanks for posting Merin.

ines871

Countless blessings I am thankful for, & not just throughout the day, at night as I go to sleep, I reflect on these benefits --- & then as 8+ hours later awakening I carry on thanking various benefactors.

Well, now is as good an opportunity as anytime, so

to all of you in this Community who reach out to anyone so together, & Individually we can continue happily learning & sharing... Enjoy 🙂 a Blessed, Happy & Healthy forever...

Pharmer

Cool article, which has great advice.

My disasters have been occasional, and not chronic, and for that I'm very grateful. For example, I got hit by a semi, out on the highway, years ago, which trashed the truck I was driving, but I had very little injury, and was super grateful. Stuff like that motivates me to continue do my best for people who are dealing with the chronic disaster of bad health. Gratitude also motivates spontaneous generosity, and causes good things to snowball.

The opposite of gratitude is the feeling of entitlement, which causes people to be perpetually angry if they don't get enough. (Sometimes there is never enough.) Most of us have seen that problem before. Let it serve as another motivator to keep giving thanks.

Thanks to all the good, honest growers who share knowledge with each other, and thanks to the Creator who provided what we grow.

LaurieLovesLearning

@Pharmer I was struck by your comment of "chronic disaster of bad health." Some people can even face &/or go through this with gratitude & thankfulness. Some no longer view it as a disaster, but instead as a blessing...sometimes even when they are in the middle of it! I believe that the best lessons are learned by going through hardships.

Now, on the topic of health & how this relates, I know a lady with MS, and she is one of the most thankful, grateful people that I know. She has gone through so much, yet her focus is so pure.

I have had cancer & know many others who are considered survivors. They have important lessons that they have learned & will share with you if you ask. People who have not had this hardship rarely view things in the same way.

I tell those going through cancer to let it change them. It can be a confusing statement, but it makes them curious and gives a different positive end perspective. They don't fully understand until they get past certain levels of shock & all that initial stuff that goes with it. It generally changes people positively. If this is allowed to gradually happen, it creates a greater sense of gratitude & thankfulness, and a fresh perspective by which to view life, hardships, challenges & people. I don't know if you can truly view anything as a real disaster if you have the knowledge that there is some good that will result from it. Anyway, it is amazing to watch the transformation. Not all people choose to do this, and I find it sad. They miss out on so much.

Changing gears slightly...The bible briefly mentions about what I am about to say and science has also recognized and confirmed this phenomenon in the brain. Neural pathways can be seared (cauterized.) The brain can be rewired by new paths' growth. These two things are connected. As one activity (in this case the happy emotion) is practiced, new paths form. As the other is not used, it becomes seared so that it cannot be not used again. This article shows that this process of gratitude can be repeated & built upon.

It's not to say we would never go back to ungratefulness. It will happen, but these new paths make it possible to be capable of practicing gratefulness again, most likely with more ease...as long as our ungratefulness is not practiced for too long. We don't want to sear those wonderful pathways!

shllnzl

@Pharmer My stage 0 breast cancer experience has had a positive effect for me, other than I try to avoid doctors now.

I initially wanted to understand the details of proposed treatments. If I know the worst, I am prepared mentally. That research led to my learning more about alternative medicines, and ultimately led me to this forum.

The problem for my loved ones is I now want to share this knowledge so they can avoid the traumas I have had. I am perceived as crazy or an alternative medicine missionary. I am effecting subtle changes though.

Pharmer

@Laurie When patients with chronic problems have a general attitude of gratitude, they are a whole lot easier to care for, and they also do better. The good stuff snowballs. Some people are just happy to be alive and can weather a tremendous lot of disaster. I look up to them.

People have been aware for millennia that they need to cultivate gratitude as a means to survive. It's in various religious writings, such as the book of Job, in the Bible. There's a reason that the song "Praise You in This Storm" became such a ginormous hit. (Very good for when the crap is hitting the fan. https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=WDK7KLNX ).

You are very right about the transformative experience of literally fighting for your life, which is what happens when people go through cancer treatment. People like you really know that many things we view as disasters are pretty small compared to life itself. You have a bigger picture view than most who haven't gone through that kind of thing. Lucky for us if you get many more years to spread the word.

Once again, science has elucidated physical mechanisms that bear out what we were told in the instruction Book for living.

It would be cool if we all worked hard to cause atrophy in our neurological pathways of hate. That would save us a lot of energy for creativity and doing good 😎

LaurieLovesLearning

@Pharmer Yes, wouldn't it though.

I have been watching Rosemary Gladstar for a while. Is her last name really Gladstar? If so, she lives up to her name beautifully. She is a star full of glorious gladness. I really admire how she loves & shares, lives large by living simply, and is gracious toward others. She is a great example of someone who practices these things daily, and you can tell that it comes back to her in spades considering everyone who admires her. She attracts goodness by giving it away. Such a beautiful person.

Pharmer

Ya, a lot of the top herbalists have great charisma and teaching ability. Maybe they get it from hanging around the green things a lot. Maybe it's because they're teaching from the heart.

I also wondered if Rosemary Gladstar came with that name, or adopted a pen name for writing. How about Connie Herbel, Susun Weed, and 7 Song??? Lots of cool herbalist type names out there, like that of our Grow Network Founder .

Sooooo we need pen names too!!! I'd keep this one except it gets cut out of email as spam 😝

shllnzl

I wondered about the name Marjory Wildcraft: is it adopted or just amazingly appropriate to the individual?

SuperC

I agree with @Merin Porter that actually meaning “Thank you” increases the happy brain receptors. Induldge with green herbs, salads and eating healthy are also contributors to healthy memory, happiness, and peace from our brain receptors.

Merin Porter

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/comment/851757#Comment_851757

@Pharmer , a great insight about entitlement. And I completely agree that gratitude gives health and life to every aspect of a person!

Pharmer

THX @ Merin. Something else about entitlement- it totally corks up personal growth and learning. When we regular people lose our jobs or get 'kicked off the island', we have to shift gears and find a new way to make a living. Isn't it sad to see some of our celebrities, leaders and 'elites' adapt very poorly to that type of change? Certain others show an uncommon grace when adapting changing fortunes, and I try to learn from them.

Pharmer

@ shllnzl. It might give you some comfort to know that loved ones usually don't want to hear any kind of medical advice from their own people. Credentials, education, years in health care, or research efforts are immaterial. They seem to need to get that information from a relative stranger :-D. If they get desperate, they might ask you about one little issue, without giving out any relevant information that would pertain to treatment, and expect you to give a useful answer. If they listen to your advice at all, it's amazing.

shllnzl

@Pharmer Good insight. I actually had an opinionated relative be receptive to possible side effects of vaccines. One of her sons had a flu shot last year and soon after had one of his hands swell, plus continuing other serious health issues. Her son recognized the symptoms as occurring right after his vaccine; of course medical staff deny any connection.

Blair

I have always thought that our Heavenly Father wants us to be grateful, not because He wants our gratitude; but because He wants us to be happy.  I guess science is proving scripture right again.  :-)