November brings to mind family, food and relaxation (and football). It is also a time when we give thanks. Even when life doesn’t always go the way we would prefer, data show that expressing gratitude daily enables us to be successful and happy through it all.

Bestselling author and psychotherapist Amy Morin, well known for her book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, wrote in Forbes (https://bit.ly/2CuCZAh ) that developing an attitude of gratitude is one of the simplest ways to increase your satisfaction with life. A “Thank you” can even change workplace culture (https://bit.ly/2EBFG5J ).

Here are the seven proven benefits Amy discusses, along with my explanation of how they apply to our everyday practice.

1. Gratitude opens doors. A genuine expression of thanks to patients from our team can increase patient satisfaction scores, which results in happier patients and increased referrals. Consider sending a thank-you email or even a handwritten note. Also, a genuine, specific “Thank you” to individuals on our team can increase their productivity.
2. Gratitude improves physical health. Grateful people feel healthier, care for themselves better and call in sick less frequently.
3. Gratitude improves psychological health. Improved mental strength results in fewer toxic emotions, such as jealousy and frustration. Grateful people are better equipped to deal with stress. They are pro-active and can make the best employees.
4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression. Grateful people are more likely to be sensitive and empathetic toward patients/customers who share difficult stories and experiences.
5. Grateful people sleep better. At a conference I attended (https://spinalcsfleak.org/ ), a leading neurosurgeon said that sleep is the brain’s way of ridding the body of toxins. We need sleep to be our best. Consider expressing gratitude each day before bed, either verbally or in a journal.
6. Gratitude improves self-esteem. With confidence, we perform better, and our patients are more likely to comply with our recommendations. The more confident each of our team members is, the less likely they will resent others’ accomplishments.
7. Gratitude increases mental strength. Moments when we experience stress, trauma or sadness are the most important times to practice gratitude (https://bit.ly/2R9SXUB ). Simply said, being grateful in the worst of times will enable you to recover faster.

GRATITUDE OR LIMITS?

Managing a practice, being a health care provider, running a business and living life as a mother, daughter, sister and wife all bring challenges and surprises. Learning to practice gratitude has brought me through the negative emotions that can fight for control. We all have a choice: Show gratitude, or let negative circumstances limit us. This year has taught me the best way to live is with an attitude of gratitude. I make a daily list and say it out loud. Some of the items on my list may help you begin your own list:

I am grateful for:

• God, who has given me family and friends who are there in good times and bad.
• Doctors, who never give up and who give me all of my options no matter the price.
• Optometry, a profession that has allowed me to change people’s lives for the better. OM