Showing appreciation to others and to ourselves is characterized by gratitude. Gratitude makes us more aware of the sources of hope, joy, and wonder in our lives. Being grateful can improve your health, strengthen relationships, and help manage your finances.
Here are just some of the financial benefits of practicing gratitude:
IMPROVING PATIENCE
Practicing gratitude can affect your patience. Researchers found that feelings of gratitude reduced financial impatience, according to a study published in Psychological Science journal. Those who showed gratitude had increased willingness to wait longer to receive their money. While those who wrote about neutrality tended to opt for immediate payouts.
REDUCING DESIRE FOR MATERIAL THINGS
Psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough showed that people who counted their blessings had a more positive outlook in life, exercised more, and were more likely to help others. These findings were supported by Psychologist Nathaniel Lambert who found that feelings of gratitude were associated with lower materialism.
Feeling thankful for what you have can enhance your satisfaction in life and reduce your desire to buy more things. Think about that!
INCREASING GENEROSITY
As said above, generosity can increase the likelihood of helping others. The goal of financial planning is to allocate money towards things that you value most, which can be the welfare of others. Gratitude was shown to motivate people to pay it forward or to give back in many ways including financially.
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An article published by the American Psychological Association reported that gratitude facilitates generosity. People who were feeling gratitude were able to share more money with others, despite the recipient being a stranger.
BOOSTING YOUR EMOTIONS
When it comes to gratitude, the first step is to acknowledge the gifts and benefits we have received. Secondly, you must recognize that you have been blessed by others, luck, or divine intervention.
Gratitude requires us to see how we have been supported and affirmed by other people. In return, it can make us feel satisfied and secure.
HELPING COUPLES WITH MONEY FIGHTS
A 2015 study by researchers at the University of Georgia found that gratitude can help couples to manage financial conflicts. Expressing appreciation and feeling appreciated are hallmarks of strong partnership, according to couples’ therapist Ed Coambs.
Ed said:
“In a flourishing, healthy relationship, gratitude flows naturally and pretty easily. In a functioning relationship, it’s more intermittent, a little less consistent. In a dysfunctional relationship, it’s absent.”
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Many financial conflicts stem from partners not feeling appreciated for their efforts to save money and to look after the couples’ future. This is where gratitude can come in.