Primer on Importance of Gratitude

Based in Houston, Texas, Anita A. Bangale earned her medical degree in 2006 and went on to George Washington University for her training in Emergency Medicine. She has practiced Emergency Medicine since 2010 and has served as a telemedicine physician at San Francisco-based Brightside since 2018. Anita A. Bangale also has a bachelor's degree in psychology and is an experienced life coach in The Woodlands, Texas.

Receiving guidance from a life coach can provide multiple life-enhancing benefits. The advice of a life coach can be sought in numerous areas including how to practice gratitude, a feeling of appreciation.

Research demonstrates that feelings of gratitude are closely related to feelings of happiness. For example, the more gratitude a person feels, the more likely he or she is to feel happy. People who feel gratitude are also more likely to have better health, overcome challenges more effectively, develop strong relationships with others, and cherish positive life experiences. Gratitude is a feeling that can be developed and nurtured with consistent practice. Some of the key ways to practice gratitude include keeping a written record of what you feel thankful for, thanking others with a written note, praying, and meditating.

The Vital Importance of Expressing Gratitude in a Variety of Settings

Dr. Anita Bangale is a Houston emergency medicine practitioner who also consults online with patients suffering from anxiety and depression. With Diya Coaching, her separate life-coaching practice, Dr. Anita Bangale addresses aspects of well-being, such as gratitude and the “happiness narrative.”

As described in a Harvard Health article, giving thanks in a meaningful way can be a form of medicine for people who experience sadness, loss, and a sense of being overwhelmed by life. While not a substitute for professional help, the practice of acknowledging goodness in one’s life is one that moves the person outside of themselves to a degree, enabling them to better connect with a life force larger than one individual, whether it be a community, a higher power, or the natural world.

Studies have demonstrated the power of gratitude in diverse settings, including relationships. Those who take time to express gratitude to their life partner tend to gain a more positive view of their mate and also have more ease when expressing relationship concerns.

In the workplace, managerial leaders who vocalize thanks to those who support them often find employees more willing and motivated to give their best effort moving forward. Whatever the setting, the mindfulness involved in expressing gratitude can also have a broadening impact that eases stress and helps in understanding and resolving conflicts and differences of opinion.