Being thankful for the benefits of gratitude

by Mervin Straughan
October 2020

Do roses have thorns or do thorns have roses?

"Some people grumble that roses have thorns: I’m grateful that thorns have roses." So said the 19th century French journalist and author Alphonse Karr in is 1853 book Letters from My Garden.

This speaks volumes. The right attitude to gratitude is good for your well being as well as for setting goals. 

How does your attitude to gratitude stack up? Are you the type of person who finds fault or do find something for which to be thankful?

Despite the best will in the world, only the few can manage to keep going 24-7 with high-octane energy and optimism. Despondency can creep in and sabotage our efforts. Is there anything we can do about it?

Being thankful for what we have – no matter how small – can help.

Studies tell us that gratitude is good for us because it boosts our happiness and builds physical and psychological wellbeing.

It's also known to be good for protecting us against stress and depression and it helps us to have a more positive outlook which is a good start for effective goal setting.

Dr Robert A Emmons, author of the Little Book of Gratitude, states that even in the face of adversity, gratitude has a major role to play. For one, it enables us to see a bigger which helps to prevent our being overwhelmed by setbacks. It can also motivate us to meet our challenges head on.