Improve your Emotional Well-Being Backed By Science

I want to share with you one spiritual practice that you can implement today to improve your emotional well being - practicing an attitude of gratitude. In Proverbs 15:15, it says “All the days of the oppressed are bad, but he who has a grateful heart, has a continual feast.”

What we can learn from that is it doesn't really matter what our circumstances are. If we focus on the things in life that are hard or difficult, the things that we feel like we're lacking or that are bad, then our days are going to feel bad. But if we choose to position our hearts with an attitude of gratitude and focus on the things that we're grateful for, no matter what our circumstances are, then in the midst of even hard times, we can have a continual feast.

I call this an “Attitude of Gratitude” and it is backed by research.

The Science Behind It

There was a study done in 2008, where scientists looked at the activity of the brain when someone is practicing gratitude. Different areas of the brain actually light up when someone is practicing gratitude!

The study showed when someone is thinking of something for which they’re grateful, their brain starts to produce more serotonin, the neurotransmitter that plays a huge role in many of of body functions including our mood, sleep, digestion and sexual function. It also found that gratitude activates the brainstem to produce dopamine, which is the brain's pleasure chemical.

So, this is a spiritual practice that's also backed by science that's proven to improve our mental health.

Try it for Yourself!

I encourage you to test it out and give it a try. Just grab a notebook and a pen and start writing two or three things each day that you're grateful for, no matter what your circumstances are.

Focus on those things that are good in your life, the things that you can be grateful and thankful for, and watch as - over time - your joy increases, your peace increases, and you can walk through life enjoying that continual feast no matter what the circumstances may be.

Happy Thanksgiving!