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Our Photos and the Transformational Power of Gratitude
As Thanksgiving draws nearer, we are surrounded by reminders that this is the season of gratitude.
Maybe your family has a tradition of sharing what you are thankful for over a shared feast, or you spend the holiday volunteering your time for those who are in need. However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests a deep and meaningful tone of gratitude can transform your life in significant and lasting ways.
Comprehensive studies have shown that practicing daily gratitude can actually rewire your brain, and have lasting positive mental health effects, even for people who have sought help for depression. Daily habits such as journaling, meditation, and letter-writing can shift your mindset significantly, causing you to recognize positive aspects of your environment, and increase your ability to release negative thoughts.
Incidentally, another daily habit that can greatly enhance a positive mindset is taking and sharing photographs of the enjoyable beauty that surrounds you. The very act of capturing positive moments with your camera is an exercise in positive thinking for your brain. Sharing these images with your loved ones spreads the positive impact of your gratitude mindset to others.
3 Easy Ways to Foster Gratitude With Your Photos
In honor of Thanksgiving, we want to share some creative ways you can spread a tone of gratitude through your photos that you may not have considered.
1. Coffee Table Books and Photo Displays
There has never been a more exciting time to get your pictures out of your phone and into tangible, shareable coffee table books.
At Artifact Uprising, you’ll find an impressive lineup of professional photo book printing including lay flat hardcover books and portable softcover albums that make excellent gifts.
They also offer a range of tabletop and framed prints which can become discussion pieces on your walls and display tables. We love these wooden photo ledges which allow you to rotate your favorite images while using your creativity to show off all that you are thankful for.
2. A Gratitude Reminder on Your Home screen
Here's a quick tech tip! Without having to open any apps, you can introduce a rotating roster of your favorite images to your home screen. To add the photo widget, use the following simple steps:
Go to your home screen and find an empty space. Tap and hold on your chosen spot until you see the icons shake.
Tap on the plus (+) sign that shows up on the screen
Select the photo app from the menu of widgets that appear
Swipe left or right to select your desired widget size
Press the add widget button
These daily reminders of your happiest moments will help foster a tone of gratitude that can follow you throughout your day.
3. Digital Frames to Share and Display in Real Time
One of the best ways to remain connected, and remind those you love of the gratitude you have for them, is to share your happiest moments through pictures.
Social media has its place, but we are especially fond of digital frames, especially since they enable you to send images remotely and in real-time to those who cannot be with you in person.
At Nixplay, you’ll find a range of digital frame sizes with exciting features such as video display. Imagine sharing your child’s first steps with her grandparents in real-time, as it is beautifully displayed in their living room. These frames make incredible gifts, so take advantage of their 20% off Black Friday promotion to easily check names off your giving list.
Final Thoughts on Gratitude & Your Photos
Since the pandemic, mental health professionals have seen a dramatic spike in those seeking help for depression and anxiety. Experts point to a deterioration of our sense of community as one of the primary causes of the new mental health crisis.
As social animals, humans will always seek connection, so it gives us hope that taking and sharing photographs of positive images and experiences in our lives can heighten gratitude, and also repair our missed connections.
If you want your image library to reach its full potential in your life, you may need help paring down and organizing the excess clutter. Thankfully, there are trained photo curating and digital organizing experts who can take this task off your already full plate.