Gratitude is an important component of a happy and fulfilling life. It is a thankful appreciation for what you receive, whether tangible or intangible.
Gratitude is consistently linked with feeling more positive emotions, savoring positive experiences, having better health, dealing effectively with adversity, and building strong relationships. Research has shown that people who kept a “gratitude journal” were more optimistic, exercised more, and had fewer doctor visits than those who focused on things that displeased them. Individuals who wrote a letter of gratitude to a person who had benefited them, but whom they had not thanked, and delivered it, were happier and less depressed afterward. Grateful people, including Vietnam War veterans, report fewer PTSD symptoms following trauma than less grateful people. Gratitude even impacts memory.
Grateful individuals recollect more pleasant events than their less grateful counterparts.
How does gratitude contribute to happiness and well-being? Gratitude enhances positive emotions by focusing on the enjoyment of benefits. It directs one’s focus to the good things one has and away from things lacking, thus
preventing the negative emotions associated with social comparison and envy.
Gratitude promotes prosocial behavior, positive social relationships, and trust. It leads to adaptive coping strategies by making sense of stressful events. Gratitude increases the accessibility to positive memories, which in turn, supports one’s well-being. Grateful people are more likely to seek less and appreciate and care for what they have.
Keeping a “gratitude journal” can lead to increased happiness and well-being. Each night think about three things you are grateful for. Be specific and relive the feelings you experienced as you remember what each thing means to you. Do this “counting your blessings” exercise with your partner or spouse and it may even improve your relationship.
