World Gratitude Day: how saying thank you can change your lifestyle

In today's fast paced life, people are often surrounded by stress, competition and complaints. Thinking constantly about what we do not have can push us towards depression. But being thankful to nature and to people for the good things we do have is what gratitude really means. This is why World Gratitude Day is observed around the world every year on September 21. The day gives people a golden chance to pause, look back and truly feel the positive things in life.

World Gratitude Day began with an international conference held in Hawaii in 1965. Spiritual guru Sri Chinmoy put forward the idea that there should be a day when every person around the world thanks one another. Following this, the day began to be observed every year on September 21 from 1966 onward, and gradually it gained recognition worldwide with the mediation of the United Nations. A small word like thank you in everyday life can work wonders. When we thank someone from the heart, it brings a different kind of happiness and peace not just to the other person but to ourselves as well.

Modern medical science and psychology have also shown that the habit of gratitude brings tremendous improvement in a person's physical and mental health. People who regularly express thanks see lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies. When we feel grateful towards someone, the brain releases happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin, which keep the mind cheerful. Recalling the good things of the day before going to sleep at night calms the mind, improves sleep and helps keep blood pressure under control. Gratitude also shifts a person's thinking from negativity towards positivity, which increases confidence to fight through difficult situations.

Expressing gratitude towards family, friends, colleagues or one's children bridges the distance in relationships and increases a sense of closeness. Thanking teachers for the knowledge they gave, parents for their sacrifices, and friends for their companionship doubles the respect they have for us. Along with this, being grateful towards nature for giving us food, water and air is also a need of the times, and protecting the environment is itself a part of thanking nature.

Instead of limiting World Gratitude Day to just one day, it should be made a lifestyle. A few simple methods can help with this. Every night before sleeping, three good things that happened that day can be written down in a diary, a practice known as gratitude journaling. A daily thank you message can be sent to one person who plays an important role in one's life. While thanking others, one should not forget to thank oneself, and should also praise oneself to stay steady during difficult times. Overall, constant complaining makes life harder, while being grateful for what one has makes life beautiful and fulfilling.