Gratitude as a therapy

Gratitude has had a special mention in scientific research of the current Positive Psychology, thanks to the fact that by reinforcing it, we learn to improve our quality of life in the psychic, biological and social aspects; because the truth is that: -and it is not strange to say it with a good medical basis- To appreciating, perceiving and savoring the pleasant aspects of our existence and knowing how to be grateful for having them, are the key to the construction of the factors of well-being.

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This virtue, gratitude, left aside for so long, and like so many others, for the purpose of serious studies of the psyche and social behavior of man, has once again been the subject of analysis; and conceptually it has been incorporated into the "complex emotions", closely linked to neurological reactions, thanks to which they act in accordance with basic instincts.

Although it has been widely discussed before in the fields of theology and philosophy, and where even Plato, Aristotle and Socrates treated it as a subject of study of the habits that make us consider a person as good; it was not until after the Second World War that great scholars have spoken about the benefits of gratitude in the overall welfare of the individual.

But developing this capacity in ourselves entails efforts and daily work, to first find it within our being, and then to strengthen it; so there are some exercises or activities that help us to become, in a safe way, human beings who practice gratitude.

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I am sure that we have seen how this year the pandemic has led us to live many difficulties and loss of life, which possibly have made us think that there are more negative than positive factors with which to remember this year 2020, but also, we have witnessed countless scientific and technological advances, as well as the beginning of a cleanup of the planet and respect for animals, which in my opinion balance the scales.

Personally, I believe that there are worse evils than the Covid-19 pandemic that we have experienced, such as insecurity, poor nutrition, dishonesty, corruption, hatred, racism, advantageism, violence and lack of respect.

Against them, just as positive psychology has exposed us as a way to heal or repair wounds, is the practice of gratitude; and the actions we recommend are simple, and they begin with a simple, objective and clear analysis of our current living conditions.

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Giving thanks every morning for what we find when we wake up, leads us to value our relatives, our partners, friends, neighbors with whom we live; to give preponderance to the home or the spaces that shelter and shelter us; to highlight the goods that allow us to survive, such as our food and our clothes, whether they are scarce or poor.

Another action we can take to strengthen our gratitude was recommended last November by the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, cardiovascular surgeon Russell M. Nelson, who created a campaign with the hashtag #ThankYou, flooding social networks with short phrases describing something for which we are grateful every day, and this campaign is still going on around the world.

Nelson exposed us that "it is much better to count our blessings than to account for our problems"; thus, a discourse selectively aimed at exalting positive values, will give less power to negative situations such as precariousness, loneliness, dissatisfaction, lack of love and insecurity; all situations that today worry and harm people so much.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to follow this advice and make a space in our publications to give thanks for some material, human or spiritual good that allows us to enjoy a good moment every day; and to do it daily, as a personal goal; because I particularly saw the general reaction that was very receptive to President Nelson's idea, which also speaks of how much we need to be thankful.

Finally, the custom of giving thanks for our food, or for being able to share the table, should be taken up again and not be left only in the hands of those who by religious belief practice it; for being grateful for the food we are going to eat, implies recognizing the supplier, those who prepare the dishes we taste, those who share our table, and also, all those processes that make our food reach our homes, from production to the efforts for distribution and transportation.

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Facilitating the expression of gratitude, as well as any of the great values that we as human beings possess, is a daily training task of thought, and a reconversion of our values towards everything positive that existence has; so, starting with simple tasks and routines that little by little can permeate in people, to become permanent attitudes within the family and our communities, will be one more space that we will gain in the beautiful and restorative path towards the construction of a better world.

#Iamgrateful toRead.cash, to the GoodKarmaArmy community, to @gertu13, @Oneray and @TruSuccessXpert for the support and guidance to improve my content every day.

Emilio Rios. Venezuela

emiliorios580@gmail.com

Lead Image Pixabay by Alexas_Fotos