I lived in the United States for 6 years and there's one holiday that I particularly appreciated for its symbolism and its ability to bring people together: Thanksgiving.
Chaque fin de novembre, cette fête familiale est l’occasion de se retrouver en famille et avec des proches et amis pour partager un repas. Les différents membres de la famille vont faire des kilomètres pour se réunir et fêter Thanksgiving ensemble ! C’est alors l’occasion de se dire merci et d’exprimer leur gratitude les uns envers les autres !
I think it's wonderful!
It's also the perfect excuse to talk to you about the science of gratitude! On expatriation, the science of gratitude is an easy resource to apply to your daily life. It has a powerful beneficial effect on our lives as expatriates, aid workers or accompanying spouses, and transforms our relationships with those around us in our host country and our loved ones back home.
Qu’est-ce que la science de la gratitude
Dr. Robert Emmons is the leading expert on the science of gratitude. His research has shown that gratitude is one of the strengths of character most directly associated with happiness.
Expressing gratitude is one of the most effective and immediate ways of feeling happier and more optimistic.
According to his research, people who regularly express their gratitude can increase their level of happiness by 25%. He has also shown that the simple exercise of keeping a gratitude diary for just three weeks can significantly improve sleep.
Gratitude accentuates the positive aspects of our expat life.
Gratitude allows us to reconnect with the positive aspects of our daily life. And so, counterbalance the negative bias of our brains, which tend to focus on what's not working.
We can express our gratitude for both the small and the big moments of everyday life: a cuddle from our child, a smile from a stranger, a phone call from a friend, reading a good book, being in good health, going for a walk, a thank you from a colleague, helping someone close to us or a simple ray of sunshine!
Gratitude and happiness form a virtuous circle
The magic is that happiness and gratitude form a virtuous circle!
Feeling grateful enhances our experience, making it even more positive, and thus increasing our level of happiness even more.
And feeling happier makes us more attentive to life's good intentions, once again reinforcing our feeling of gratitude, which further increases our well-being... and so on. Wonderful, isn't it?
Gratitude strengthens our relationships
Gratitude also has a very positive effect on our relationships with others.
When someone does something good for you and you say, ‘Thank you!’, this exchange encourages that person to continue in that direction, to undertake other good deeds.
And that's not all! The feeling of gratitude is also good for the person who expressed it, because it generates a message in their body as simple as: ‘Thank you, life!
People who express or receive gratitude feel closer to each other and want to continue to do good things, with and for others.
Gratitude is available and accessible to everyone
The fantastic thing is that gratitude is available and accessible to everyone. We can use it and even abuse it!
En expatriation, exprimer sa gratitude est facile. Rien n’y fait obstacle, pas même les différences culturelles de notre pays d’accueil, ni même la distance avec nos proches restés au pays.
We can simply express our thanks as often as possible: in writing, orally, with flowers, a phone call, a note, a surprise or even a little family ritual around the evening meal.
Three exercises to test the power of gratitude as an expat.
Pour vous aider à insuffler un peu plus de gratitude dans votre vie, je vous propose ci-dessous les trois exercices les plus connus, testés et approuvés par la science de la gratitude. Il a été démontré qu’ils sont particulièrement efficaces pour augmenter notre niveau de bonheur… et par ricochet, celui de notre entourage !
#1- The gratitude journal: Every evening, keep a journal and write down three good things from the day for which we are grateful. This simple exercise allows us to change the way we look at our daily lives, to focus our attention on the good moments and appreciate what's essential. It also helps us to realize that every day we experience at least three positive things for which we can be grateful. Not to mention that this diary is an excellent resource for re-reading on difficult days.
#2 - Write a letter of gratitude: Taking the time to write a letter of gratitude is a step further. Writing allows us to slow down, reflect and say things in a specific way, clearly mentioning how grateful we are for what that person has done for us. It's an exercise that's good for both the writer and the recipient. And it's a letter that the recipient can reread during his or her more difficult days.
#3 - Make a gratitude visit: Choose someone who has had a significant impact on our lives, but to whom we have never really expressed our gratitude. This could be someone close to you or someone more distant, such as a teacher, neighbor or colleague. Write a letter to the person, explaining the impact they have had on our lives, how they have helped us, supported us and enabled us to move forward. Then organize a meeting and read the text to them. Great emotional moments guaranteed, for both of us! If they live too far away, why not offer a virtual call?
Conclusion
Personally, I've tested the benefits of gratitude and in particular the exercises I mentioned earlier.
I encourage you to do so too, because it will help you to understand which exercise suits you best. For me, it's to write and send a letter of gratitude. It fits in well with my life as an expatriate.
So, which of these three exercises would you like to try out this week?
Étant convaincue du pouvoir de la gratitude, je propose cette ressource à toutes les personnes que j’accompagne dans le cadre de mes programmes de coaching. C’est extrêmement utile à différents niveaux. J’ai pu constater que les trois effets qui ont été les plus utiles à mes clients sont : 1. Apprendre à porter leur attention sur ce qui fonctionne déjà bien dans leur vie. 2. Réaliser que beaucoup de choses marchent déjà bien dans leur quotidien. 3. Identifier ce qui leur fait du bien et ainsi pourvoir le favoriser encore davantage dans leur vie et travail.
Your turn now!