That's right. Being thankful can help you improve your financial situation too.
Greater contentment = less spending
First of all, gratitude can lead to greater contentment with what you have. Practicing thankfulness and acknowledging what you have is a big step in the right direction toward feeling contentment in your life.
When you feel good about what you already have, you'll feel less of a need to try and keep up with the Joneses. You are therefore less likely to try and fill a hole by buying more things.
General contentment with life reduces the amount of money you spend on things that don't matter to you. And, of course, that leads to fewer expenses and thus more money in your pocket.
If you think about it, gratitude can help you avoid lifestyle inflation, debt-fueled attempts to look rich, or the temptation to make purchases because you feel like you are "supposed" to when other people on your block have those things.
So take some time today to recognize what you have and be thankful for what's already in your life, as you will be less likely to spend money on other things.
Recovering from financial setbacks
Another financial benefit of gratitude is the resilience it offers when you are trying to recover from financial setbacks.
No one wants to lose a job, have a terrible accident, or deal with any number of financial catastrophes. However, if you practice gratitude, you are more likely to get through the difficulty and eventually recover.
It's easier to keep a positive attitude when you are thankful for what you do have. Those who are grateful are more likely to see these setbacks as temporary. Rather than getting caught up in the idea that the situation is permanent, they are more likely to have the grit to move forward.
While gratitude won't keep financial setbacks from happening to you, it can help you get through tough times and overcome difficulties. Your gratitude can help you put the situation in perspective and move forward even though the path ahead may seem difficult.
Gratitude is often associated with positivity and sometimes you need a dose of it in your life when things seem to be going in the wrong direction.
Giving and more organized finances
Finally, gratitude often goes hand-in-hand with charitable giving. Even though it often means giving money away, a charitable act can also mean positive things for your money. In turn, this can actually be a benefit to your finances.
If you make giving a priority, it means you have to organize other areas of your finances. I know that I manage my finances better because I want to make sure there's room in my budget for the things that matter most to me. This includes giving back.
When you have gratitude in your life and you want to make a difference, you have the incentive to organize your finances — and that's a good thing.
This article was written by Miranda Marquit from MoneyNing and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@industrydive.com.
