Welcome To Day #15 of 21 Days of Gratitude
(Tanya here - I substituted something else for this day because it was a little weak.)
“Gratitude is the key to open the human heart” - John Demartini from “The Secret”
Showing gratitude for the 'little things' in relationships can boost feelings of happiness and romance, researchers discovered last year. Appreciating daily gestures has the ability to add meaning to the lives of both people and helps the relationship flourish.
Experts from the University of North Carolina in the U.S. studied how couples behave when responding to nice gestures. They found that simply doing something for somebody else does not automatically generate feelings of gratitude. Instead, people can feel indebted or not notice the exchange at all. In fact, nearly half (48.8%) of the time, thoughtful acts by one partner went undetected by the other partner! (Can you believe that?!! Sad.) The study found that partners recognized kind acts by the other partner only half of the time. Yet those who respond in a positive way and show gratitude can expect greater feelings of satisfaction about the relationship. Their partners feel better, too.
'Men and women with grateful partners felt more connected to the partner and more satisfied with the romantic relationship,' said the authors, writing in the journal Personal Relationships. 'A response of gratitude for "everyday" interpersonal gestures can be a powerful mechanism for relationship growth.' The effects on the relationship were noticed even the day after the gratitude was expressed.
The authors of the study claim that gratitude may be beneficial for relationships that are on the rocks, or in a context where people already have solid and satisfied relationships -- a little gratitude may go a long way toward maintaining the connection. By temporarily changing the perspective on the relationship, everyday gratitude may work as a booster shot for ongoing romantic relationships.
They concluded: 'The little things may make a big difference within the daily lives of individuals in romantic relationships. 'Gratitude may help to turn "ordinary" moments into opportunities for relationship growth, even in the context of already close, communal relations.' So the bottom line is, make sure you are recognizing when your partner or other loved one does small kindnesses for you and make a point of choosing to show gratitude. It will lead to better relationships.
Today’s action steps:
1) Continue your daily list of 5 things that you are grateful for in your Gratitude Journal.
2) Make a list of everyday thoughtful things your partner or someone close to you has done for you today and find a way to express gratitude to that person.
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