November is National Gratitude Month, a wonderful time to get in touch with what you are thankful for as we approach Thanksgiving! The library has a couple of resources for you to explore about a gratitude, including a recommended reading list. Print them out yourself below, or pick up a copy when you come to get your books on our front porch!

Research shows that gratitude can:

• Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
• Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
• Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
• Enhance empathy and reduces aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
• Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
• Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
• Increase in mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations. (Morin, 2014).

From the website: https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/