Gratitude

Gratitude: Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks. Personified for example by G. K. Chesterton (Source: VIA Institute)

The Noel Strengths Academy defines it this way:

Willing to accept acts of kindness from others, though not presumptuous
Conscious of one’s “blessings”
Aware that others are often the source of good things
Intentional at saying “Thank You”

Listen, Watch and Learn

Listen to a podcast episode created with Google Notebook LM exploring Gratitude.

Underuse: Rugged Individualism
Overuse: Ingratiation

Key Research:

Rank order of Gratitude in populations from:
- US : 6;
- Europea: 15
- Asia: 4
- Latin America: 6
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 3
- Middle east: 5
Study showed effectiveness of interventions on signature strengths and on gratitude for boosting happiness and decreasing depression, relative to a control group (Senf & Liau, 2013).
Study showed effectiveness of interventions on signature strengths and on gratitude for boosting happiness and decreasing depression, relative to a control group (Senf & Liau, 2013).
In a study of primary school students and a study of secondary school students, several character strengths were associated with positive classroom behavior (e.g., perseverance, social intelligence, prudence, hope, self-regulation) and school achievement (e.g., love of learning, perseverance, zest, perspective, gratitude, hope) (Wagner & Ruch, 2015).
The character strengths – perseverance, love, gratitude, and hope – predict academic achievement in middle school students and college students (reported in Park & Peterson, 2009a).
After controlling for IQ, strengths of perseverance, fairness, gratitude, honesty, hope, and perspective predicted GPA (Park & Peterson, 2008a).
The character strengths most associated with the meaning route to happiness are religiousness, gratitude, hope, zest, and curiosity (Peterson et al., 2007).
In addition to replication of the connection between hope, gratitude, love, zest, and curiosity with life satisfaction, the strengths that were the best predictors of future life satisfaction were hope and spirituality (Proyer et al., 2011).
Across occupations, curiosity, zest, hope, gratitude, and spirituality are the Big 5 strengths associated with work satisfaction (Peterson et al., 2010).
Arjun Walia does a wonderful job summarising what happens to us during gratitude in Scientists Show How Gratitude Literally Alters The Human Heart & Molecular Structure Of The Brain

Psychological Impacts of gratitude:

Gratitude is linked to increased happiness: Research has shown that individuals who practice gratitude tend to experience increased happiness and well-being (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
Gratitude is associated with better sleep: Studies have found that individuals who practice gratitude before bed tend to have better sleep quality and duration (Wood et al., 2008).
Gratitude is linked to increased resilience: Gratitude has been shown to be a key factor in building resilience, as it helps individuals focus on the positive aspects of their lives and build a sense of hope (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004).
Gratitude is a key component of emotional intelligence: Gratitude is considered a key component of emotional intelligence, as it involves recognizing and appreciating the good things in life (Goleman, 1995).
Gratitude is linked to reduced stress: Research has shown that gratitude is negatively correlated with stress, as it helps individuals focus on the positive aspects of their lives and reduce negative emotions (Kabat-Zinn, 2003).
Gratitude is developed through social learning: Gratitude is developed through social learning, particularly through observing and imitating others who exhibit grateful behavior (Bandura, 1977).
Gratitude is linked to increased social connections: Studies have found that individuals who practice gratitude tend to have stronger social connections and more positive relationships (Algoe & Wood, 2009).
Gratitude is a key factor in physical health: Gratitude has been shown to be linked to better physical health, including lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems, and reduced chronic pain (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
Gratitude is associated with increased self-esteem: Research has found that individuals who practice gratitude tend to have higher self-esteem and a more positive self-image (Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013).
Gratitude is a key component of moral character: Gratitude is considered a key component of moral character, along with other character strengths such as compassion, honesty, and responsibility (VIA Institute, 2015).

Tayyab Rashid and Afroze Anjum offer 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths including these four for Gratitude:

Consider how this statement describes your usual mental state: A still mind sees what is good and present. An anxious mind sees what is negative and missing. Still your mind for five minutes in the morning and in the evening.
Count three of your blessings (good things that happened to you) before going to bed every day. Write them down in a bedside journal for when you feel down or blue.
Express your gratitude to someone whom you haven’t told before, preferably through a personal visit. Observe how your expression of gratitude makes both of you feel.
Write three apprehensions that you feel when you wake every morning. Before you go to bed, write three good things that happened to you and why. Then evaluate your apprehensions in light of the good things.

You’ll find his journaling tips here on the inspiring site gratefulness.org.

A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life by John Kralik
Gratitude: Increase Happiness with the Simple Act of Giving Thanks by Joanne Hillyer
Bring Gratitude: Feel Joyful Again With Bite-Sized Mindset Practices by Karl Staib
The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan
Thanks! A Companion to Gratitude” by Dr. Alex Wood Written by a leading researcher in the field of gratitude, this book explores the science behind gratitude and provides practical exercises for cultivating a grateful mindset.
“One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are” by Ann Voskamp A memoir and self-help book, this work encourages readers to find gratitude in everyday moments and experiences, even in the midst of struggles.
“The Little Book of Gratitude” by Dr. Robert A. Emmons A concise and accessible guide to the benefits and practice of gratitude, written by a pioneering researcher in the field of positive psychology.
“Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity” by Robert A. Emmons This book provides a structured 21-day program for developing a gratitude practice and incorporating it into daily life.
“The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life” by Janice Kaplan A journalist’s memoir and self-help book, this work chronicles the author’s year-long experiment with practicing gratitude and the positive impact it had on her life.

Learn more on Gratitude

Jason SIlva on Learning to say thank you.

Nature’s beauty can be fleeting — but not through Louie Schwartzberg’s lens. His stunning time-lapse photography, accompanied by powerful words from Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast, serves as a meditation on being grateful for every day.

What makes you happy? Have you ever wondered why? Join us as we take an experimental approach on what makes people happier. Soul Pancake shows the power of the gratitude letter and visit.

Jane Ransom helps people build great relationships—with themselves, their partners and the rest of the world. As a coach and speaker, she draws on the latest brain science, while using true stories to teach and to inspire. A professional hypnotist, Jane specializes in the subconscious mind, that hard-to-pin-down part of ourselves that guides our feelings, thoughts and behavior. This award-winning author’s book in progress (for which Simon & Schuster holds the contract option) will be out in 2013, entitled, “One Brainy Book: 26 scientific ways to feel and be terrific!”

In this deceptively simple 3-minute talk, Dr. Laura Trice muses on the power of the magic words “thank you” — to deepen a friendship, to repair a bond, to make sure another person knows what they mean to you. Try it.

Author AJ Jacobs embarked on a quest with a deceptively simple idea at its heart: to personally thank every person who helped make his morning cup of coffee. More than one thousand “thank yous” later, Jacobs reflects on the globe-trotting journey that ensued — and shares the life-altering wisdom he picked up along the way. “I discovered that my coffee would not be possible without hundreds of people I take for granted,” Jacobs says.

Gratitude: The Short Film by Louie Schwartzberg from ecodads on Vimeo.

Podcasts to feed your Gratitude

The Gratitude Podcast: Gratitude is the one thing that helped me most in my life from all the personal development and spiritual practices that I did and that’s why I want to inspire 100.000 people to discover how to feel grateful more often and live a happy life. “It’s not happiness that makes us grateful; it’s gratefulness that makes us happy.” – David Steindl-Rast I do this by interviewing successful people and getting them to share fascinating stories about how gratitude has helped them get to where they are now.
The Gratitude Cafe helps you uncover your best life – beat anxiety, stamp out self-sabotage and self-doubt, find clarity and vision, hear the messages of your soul, heal and energize, and much more. I’m here to help you create deep possibility in your life and discover your soul’s desire. We’ll learn from some incredible people on the leading edge of transforming your life, your brain, your happiness, your purpose and meaning, and the day-to-day details of living an incredible life. I’ll share some of my best coaching, teaching, and systems for transformation. And as a medium, I’ll also help you hear the messages to bring you closer to your life purpose, and help you move on from the things holding you back. We are also live every Tuesday morning, 8am PST, on KKNW Seattle, and you can call in during the show! Just head over to https://www.suelundquist.com/gratitudecafe
“Want to Be Happier? Practice Gratitude” – The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos Summary: Dr. Santos examines the science behind how cultivating gratitude can boost well-being. URL: https://happinesslab.fm/season-2-episodes/want-to-be-happier-practice-gratitude
“The Transformative Power of Gratitude” – Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris Summary: A look at how gratitude practices can rewire our brains for more positive outlooks. URL: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/the-transformative-power-of-gratitude
“How Gratitude Can Change Your Life” – The Rich Roll Podcast Summary: Rich Roll and noted researchers discuss the far-reaching benefits of gratitude. URL: https://richroll.com/podcast/nurturing-gratitude-can-change-life/
“In Praise of Gratitude” – The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish Summary: Parrish examines the philosophy and psychology behind gratitude’s impacts. URL: https://fs.blog/knowledge-project/in-praise-of-gratitude/
“Savoring Life’s Joys” – The Science of Happiness (UC Berkeley) Summary: Practices for heightening awareness to feel more grateful for life’s positive moments. URL: https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/podcasts/story/savoring_lifes_joys