The Why and The Way of Gratitude by Sherrie Laryse

Did you realise that the way you think is literally changing the physical make-up of your brain?

When we think something repeatedly, the neurons (a type of brain cell) activated for that thought begin to multiply and strengthen. Just one hour of focussed concentration on any one particular subject doubles the number of synaptic connections in your brain related to that topic.

Our brains function on a ‘use it or lose it’ mode, so if we don’t go back and re-think those same thoughts, then the new neurons we created will be pruned back, maximising your brain’s efficiency.

This means that what you think about dictates which synaptic connections your brain keeps. With each thought you think, you are directing your brain to develop certain neural connections in the grey matter of your brain. As a result, you are literally creating the physical makeup of your brain by the way you choose to think.

For example, if you only watch the news, which is always bad news, then a lot of the input making up your thoughts is that the world is full of horror and negativity. Physiologically, this strengthens your neural networks around the world being a dangerous place.

When you take the time to look for what you are thankful about in the world, your world begins to take the shape of a world you are thankful for.

You can literally rewire your brain, by strengthening particular neural connections, to see the world through a lens of gratitude. This does not mean rose-tinted glasses. You can be thankful for learning through hardship, growing through challenge, for being resourceful through tough times. It doesn’t mean those times weren’t tough, rather that you appreciate the lessons and growth that the experience gifted you with. You find the silver lining.

To find the gratitude in your day means to change the make-up of your brain. This impacts the way you see the world, and this changes the way you automatically respond to the world as a result. This changes your whole experience.

And when you become more thankful for what you have, you’ll find that you have more things to be thankful for.

Think deliberately. Choose gratitude.

Looking forward to practicing with you soon, Sherrie xx