Gratitude and Aging - Increasing Happiness is a Big Deal
Aging gracefully takes some thoughtful intention—and gratitude offers extraordinary returns.
“Once there was a simple grass cutter “, or so the Indian folktale goes. After a lifetime of labor, an old grass cutter seeks to honor and give gifts to those more beautiful or powerful than himself. However, his gift is always returned tenfold. Finally, after inadvertently receiving a fortune despite his modes and generous character, he gives everything away in gratitude to bless the rising generation. This story gently reminds us of the power to choose gratefulness and contentment.
The world’s wisdom tales teach gratitude as the key to wellbeing and happiness. This link has been corroborated by numerous studies that show strong correlations between improved emotional, social, and physical health and daily practices of gratefulness. The benefits cited in studies include better sleep patterns, stronger social connections, higher rates of good cholesterols, less depression, and increased ability to handle stress, among others. Rather than operating from a sense of scarcity and fear, people who cultivate gratitude see themselves as blessed and coming from a place of abundance. Sounds appealing, doesn’t it?
But what does this look like among seniors? How can people dealing with the challenges of aging look beyond the discomforts and debilitations and see what is good in their lives? The National Council on Aging has developed a dynamic curriculum called the Aging Mastery Program (AMP) that places a Gratitude Session at the center of its 10-class core program.
As part of the course, individuals are challenged to develop daily habits of gratefulness. Some of the tips shared by graduates include:
“I ask myself every morning, ‘What am I grateful for today?’”
“I send thank-you cards to old friends, family, and acquaintances. This weekend, I’ll write thank-you cards to my health care providers to say ‘thanks’ for their care this year.”
“I write down and then say out loud what I am grateful for.”
“I keep a gratitude journal. I see so much more to be grateful for and I’m happier.”
Happiness guru, Benedictine Monk David Steindl-Rast has spent years spreading his gospel of stopping still in the rush of life to see the good. He has wisely noted that grateful people are happy people regardless of circumstance.
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Reference Articles:
https://www.ncoa.org/blog/many-gifts-gratitude/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/is_gratitude_good_for_your_health