By Joan Borysenko — 2008
We are a stunningly impatient culture...a fact that has been reflected in a lot of poor choices that have compromised the environment, the economy, the human potential of our country, and many of the democratic ideals that America is based upon.
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Born with a rare neuromuscular condition, the New York–based mother of twins and psychotherapist has dealt with physical limitations her whole life. But what these limitations have resulted in is a rich list of abilities and lessons that she is uniquely suited to pass down to her children.
Gratitude isn’t a feeling that materializes in response to your circumstances. It is a practice. And even if you feel that you have little to be grateful for ... you can—and should—engage in it. Thankfulness has been strongly and consistently shown to raise human beings’ happiness.
Elizabeth appears to be a naturally positive person. However, she’ll be the first to admit that getting to this place took real work. A cancer diagnosis over twenty years ago led her to reevaluate her life and shift her perspective to one of gratitude.
Throughout this article, you will discover that expressing gratitude reduces stress, increases optimism, and changes your brain.
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Two recent studies have incorporated procedures intended to foster gratitude into interventions for cancer patients, with favorable results.
Research has shown that practicing gratitude can boost your resilience to stress, promote well-being, and reduce depression. In addition, gratitude interventions have been shown to lower blood pressure, decrease inflammation, and improve immunity.
For Lion’s Roar’s 40th anniversary, we’re looking ahead at Buddhism’s next 40 years. In our March 2019 issue, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shares what he feels is the most helpful message Buddhism can offer in coming decades.
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One trait of highly successful people is having a positive outlook on life, always moving forward, always learning – especially when it’s hard. We’re not typically grateful for the “worst” things in our lives. If we want to have a growth mindset, we should be.
“Tragic optimism” is the search for meaning during the inevitable tragedies of human existence, and is better for us than avoiding darkness and trying to “stay positive.”
There’s one key to well-being that gets complicated in hard times: Gratitude, the reverence we feel for things that are given to us.