Growing up, I was always taught to say please and thank you. Besides the fact that it is just good manners, why else would it be important to show appreciation or gratitude?

-Gratitude shows respect for what is.

-It is highly associated with the part of the brain that regulates emotion, etc.

-It can help mitigate Stress. No, it is not the answer to Burnout or moral injury, but by doing the inner work, it can help the individual to know their worth, and to understand what makes them tick. You may be able to answer the question, “What do I really need or want in life or work?”

-It can cascade into more positivity.

-Playing into the law of attraction, the more positivity you put out into the universe, the more you attract.

5 tips for gratitude

• Start a gratitude journal: Writing down 3-5 things you’re grateful for each day can help to remind you of all the good that exists in your life.

• Practice mindful appreciation: Take time to really savor the moments of joy and contentment in your life instead of letting them pass by.

• Express your appreciation for the positive people in your life who add value.

• Make an effort to recognize the small things, for it is in the most elementary thoughts and experiences in life that carry the most richness.

• Challenge yourself to find something to be thankful for in difficult times. What is the silver lining? What can you learn from the difficult times? How can it add to post incident or traumatic Growth?

Originally Published on https://www.theworthyphysician.com/blog

Sapna Shah-Haque Internal Medicine Physician

Dr. Sapna Shah-Haque, MD is a board certified Internal Medicine physician. She was born and raised in Kansas, and attended medical school at the University of Kansas [KU] School of Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine residency at KU-Wichita as well. After experiencing burnout herself, and watching other physician colleagues burn out, it became a passion of hers to look into different aspects of burnout. While the system does need to change, as it is broken, this podcast is a way to reach physicians and possibly shed light on what is not an isolated situation.