4 Benefits of Gratitude

“It’s impossible to feel stress, anger, or any other negative emotion, and appreciation at the same time,” says Jesse Simpson, a personal development and wellness coach with Chicago-founded Ama La Vida Coaching.

A report published in the Journal of Happiness Studies backs him up. Highlighting the relationship between daily feelings of gratitude and well-being, the report noted that folk who regularly counted their blessings felt reduced negative effects of daily stress.

Simpson, who is a former US Marine and firefighter says that even in life’s darkest hours it’s possible to find something to be thankful for. “The fact that our hearts spontaneously beat and the sun rises is enough. Without either, we wouldn’t be alive to experience any of this.”