9. Unlocking Happiness: How Gratitude Can Transform Your Life

I've had more moments of stress and overwhelm than I know how to count.

As a kid, I remember things like piano recitals that were highly nerve-wracking. Later, as an adult, working as a teacher was often overwhelming. Of course, parenting also had its moments at times. 

When I was in those moments of being overwhelmed, it seemed like nothing could help.

After trying many things and looking at the research on stress, it became crystal clear that ONE thing can be immensely helpful in the face of chaos — and that's gratitude.

The research shows that creating simple gratitude practices can help shift our focus from being overwhelmed to being thankful and joyful, ultimately improving our mental well-being and vitality.

We're wired to notice overwhelm since our brains have a negativity bias. Our brain's primary goal is to keep us alive by looking for anything that could potentially cause us to get hurt. 

Our brains have kept us alive for thousands of years but it's not always practical in our modern world.

When we're immersed in negative states, it's all we see, and we overlook evidence that goes against the contrary. When we balance our natural tendencies with intentional practices of gratitude, then our worldview becomes more balanced, which is vital for our mental health.  

The concept of gratitude is simple but not easy.

In this episode of the Overwhelm Cure podcast, I dive deep into the transformative power of gratitude, especially when we're faced with chaos, stress, and overwhelm. 

Here's what you'll discover: 

• How our brain's negativity bias can cause us to ignore the good things in life.

• The science behind gratitude and why it's critical for our mental health and well-being.

• A simple way to reframe overwhelming moments amid chaos to find calm.

• Several practical tips to help you cultivate your own gratitude practice for less stress and better relationships.

Dare to Lead Training is now enrolling, and early bird pricing is open for another week. We start on March 20th, so register today.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Overwhelm Care Podcast

00:25 Understanding Negativity Bias

02:16 The Power of Gratitude

04:28 Personal Overwhelm Story

13:44 Practical Gratitude Practices

19:03 The Science Behind Gratitude

22:05 Conclusion and Challenge

23:31 Toxic Workplaces & The Great Resignation

25:19 Invitation to Dare to Lead Training