The Easiest Way to Practice Gratitude
Gratitude can be expressed in a number of ways that is not limited to just pen and paper. In some cases, writing down feelings of gratitude might solidify the affirmation, but it is not always required to achieve the same neurological effect. An experiment conducted by Professor Alvaro Pascual-Leone at Harvard Medical School explains this very concept.
For the experiment, Pascual-Leone asked a group of volunteers to learn and practice a short piano piece until they could play it from beginning to end without error. After a week had passed, they scanned the brains of the volunteers under a transcranial-magnetic-stimulation (TMS) which projected the activity of their motor cortex - the region of the brain that controls the executions of voluntary movements.
From the brain scan, Pascual-Leone discovered that the cortex muscles of the volunteers significantly grew just after a week of practice. It is important to note that the growth of this muscle aids in better decision-making based on the sensory information the brain receives from doing a certain activity.
Sports and videogames for example have a similar effect; the brain captures sensory information, and based on that information it sends those signals to the brain that determines your next move. According to the study, the brain scans were similar to the imagery of “bright dandelions on a suburban lawn.”
But, the experiment did not stop there. They decided to conduct a second experiment: this time the volunteers were asked to imagine themselves playing the piece from beginning to end while sitting under the TMS coil as they did before. What they discovered after was quite unfathomable.
After comparing the TMS data from both experiments, the scientists found that both scans were identical to each other, and revealed no difference between the piano players and those who were simply imagining it.
But what does this have to do with gratitude?
Whether you decide to practice gratitude in a journal, or count your blessings in your head, it is entirely possible to have the desired effect without having to do any physical work.
In summary, your brain controls your senses and experiences. Think of it as a mental exercise, where the muscles you grow contribute to your emotional strength which helps you become a better reactor to the world around you. The journey to mastering gratitude suddenly becomes a walk in the park. Except the park is in your mind - and you are not actually walking.
Apart from the piano experiment, the same practice can be used in preparation of other things. Take weight lifting for example. Not only does weight lifting require physical effort, but also mental preparation of the weight being lifted by your muscles. A lot of people don’t realize that many things regarded as strenuous, or require “too much effort” can become easier once you literally put your mind to it.
Things like giving a presentation, cooking, sports, or striking up a conversation can be done more efficiently once you have exercised the thought of it in your mind long enough. The mastery of anything begins from within, why not start practicing today?
Sources: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580438,00.html
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