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Atlanta, GA | Posted: April 3, 2019
Nicole Kajzer
Marketing Intern
Summary Sentence:
Learn how SGA president Evan Gillon and Health Initiatives (HI) Director of Health Behavior Dr. Tiffiny Hughes-Troutman incorporate gratitude into their lives.
Full Summary:
Learn how SGA president Evan Gillon and Health Initiatives (HI) Director of Health Behavior Dr. Tiffiny Hughes-Troutman incorporate gratitude into their lives.
Wellness CoachingGratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools that we all have access to every day. When caught up with a busy lifestyle, many forget to practice gratefulness. In fact, research indicates that the brain has a negativity bias, so people tend to concentrate on the negative rather than the positive aspects of life. However, having an appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful has significant effects on one’s attitude, relationships, and mental health. Gratitude has been shown to improve self-esteem, enhance sympathy, increase mental strength, improve sleep, and much more. For SGA president Evan Gillon and Dr. Tiffiny Hughes-Troutman, director of health behavior in Health Initiatives (HI), gratitude is a way to appreciate what life has to offer.
Q: What is your definition of gratefulness?
Evan: I think gratefulness is recognizing the people and circumstances that led you to the place you are at and contributed to your successes. It can be recognized for isolated actions like showing encouragement during a tough time, or for longer contributions of friendship and mentorship.
Dr. Hughes-Troutman: To me, being grateful is feeling and expressing appreciation for what you have.
Q: How do you practice gratefulness?
Evan: Whenever something good happens in my life, I try to take time to think about the people who contributed to that success. For SGA, it's cabinet members and committee chairs who worked with me to bring an initiative to fruition. For personal successes, it's usually family and friends. In either case, recognizing them in some way is putting into practice those feelings of gratitude.
Dr. Hughes-Troutman: I start every morning by intentionally reflecting on who and what I am grateful for, which sets the tone and direction for my day. I express thanks to others who have impacted me, and I encourage others to do the same.
Q: Why is it important to incorporate gratefulness into your life?
Evan: I think gratefulness makes people more mindful of their place in the world, encourages humility, and fosters compassion. Without it, your perception of yourself can be off to a point that affects the decisions you make and the relationships you build.
Dr. Hughes-Troutman: There are so many benefits of incorporating gratefulness in your life, including increased energy, optimism, and empathy.
Q: How does gratefulness affect your day to day life?
Evan: Gratefulness reminds me that people care about me and, as a result, improves my day-to-day life. I take more time to interact with those around me and move away from self-reliance.
Dr. Hughes-Troutman: Gratitude is a positive emotion that serves a purpose. The behavioral aspects of gratitude – for example, saying thank you – is just one part of it. Experiencing gratitude and feeling gracious is naturally intrinsically rewarding. Day to day, individuals who are grateful feel happier, have better health and are more effective in their personal and work relationships.
Q: What are a few things that you are grateful for at the moment?
Evan: I am grateful for my team in SGA, the opportunities I have to interact with leaders at Georgia Tech, and for those who helped me secure a professional future post-graduation.
Dr. Hughes-Troutman: I am grateful to have a family who is healthy and happy. I feel grateful to have a job where I can care for the health and well-being of students and employees at Georgia Tech as well as work with colleagues who are dedicated to resilience and flourishing like I am.
Gratitude is an important tool to help you find joy and enhance your outlook on life. If you need assistance learning tools to incorporate gratitude in your life by practicing gratitude or want to have some extra tips to help you think more positively, go to healthinitiatives.gatech.edu /wellness-coaching.
