Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSigns of GratitudeTypes of GratitudeHow to Practice GratitudeImpact of GratitudeTips for Developing GratitudePotential Pitfalls
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Signs of Gratitude
Types of Gratitude
How to Practice Gratitude
Impact of Gratitude
Tips for Developing Gratitude
Potential Pitfalls
Close
Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative and is associated with several mental and physical health benefits. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.
The word gratitude can have many meanings depending on how others use it and in what context. Generally speaking, gratitude involves recognizing that something good has happened to you. It also consists of acknowledging that someone is responsible for it, whether it’s a specific person in your life, an impersonal source like nature, or a divine entity.
Feelings of gratitude often emerge spontaneously in the moment, but evidence suggests that consciously cultivating such thankfulness can have mental health benefits.
At a GlanceGratitude is all about recognizing the good things in your life and the role that others play in those positive events. It can have a powerful role in your health and well-being. The good news is that practicing gratitude isn’t difficult; just set aside a few minutes each day to focus on the good things that happened and what you’re thankful for.
At a Glance
Gratitude is all about recognizing the good things in your life and the role that others play in those positive events. It can have a powerful role in your health and well-being. The good news is that practicing gratitude isn’t difficult; just set aside a few minutes each day to focus on the good things that happened and what you’re thankful for.
So what does gratitude look like? How do you know if you are experiencing a sense of gratitude? Expressing your appreciation and thanks for what you have can happen in a number of different ways. For example, it might entail:
Gratitude is often a spontaneous emotion that you feel in the moment. Some people are naturally prone to experiencing it more often than others, but experts suggest that it is alsosomething that you can cultivateand learn to practice more often.
How Often Do You Experience Gratitude?
If you answered yes to most of these questions, you probably have a strong sense of gratitude. If you answered no to many or all, you could take steps to bring more gratitude into your life.
Gratitude is often categorized into one of three categories:
Are There Different Types of Happiness?
Developing a sense of gratitude isn’t complex or challenging. It doesn’t require any special tools or training. And the more you practice it, the better you will become and put yourself into a grateful state of mind. Here’s how to do this:
Observe the Moment
Take a second to focus on your experience and how you are feeling. Take stock of your senses and think about what is helping you cope. Are there people who have done something for you, or are there particular things helping you manage your stress, feel good about your life, or accomplish what you need to do?
You may also find the practice ofmindfulness, which focuses on becoming more aware of the present moment, a helpful tool.
Write it Down
You might find it helpful to start a gratitude journal where you jot down a few things you are thankful for each day. Being able to look back on these observations can help when you are struggling to feel grateful.
Savor the Moment
Give yourself time to reallyenjoy the moment. Focus on the experience and allow yourself to absorb those good feelings. Concentrate on the sensations and emotions you are experiencing in a given moment and think about the things you appreciate.
Create Gratitude Rituals
Pausing for a moment to appreciate something and giving thanks for it can help you feel a greater sense of gratitude. Ameditation, prayer, or mantra are examples of rituals that can inspire a greater sense of gratitude.
Give Thanks
Gratitude is all about recognizing and appreciating those people, things, moments, skills, or gifts that bring joy, peace, or comfort into our lives. Show your appreciation. You might thank a person to show you are thankful for them, or you might spend a moment simply mentally appreciating what you have.
Expressing your appreciation for others is an important component that can affect yourinterpersonal relationships, particularly those with your partner. People with high levels of gratitude experience sharp declines in marital satisfaction when their partner does not express gratitude in return.
Showing your gratitude for those around you can help improve the quality and satisfaction of your relationships.
The subject is something that has interested religious scholars and philosophers since ancient times. Research on gratitude didn’t take off until the 1950s, as psychologists and sociologists began to examine the impact that gratitude could have on individuals and groups. Since then, interest in the topic has grown considerably as the potential health benefits became increasingly apparent.
The practice of gratitude can have a significant positive impact on both physical and psychological health. Some of thebenefits of gratitudethat researchers have uncovered include:
Research also suggests that people who are more grateful are more likely to engage in other health-promoting behaviors, including exercising, following their doctor’s recommendations, and sticking to a healthier lifestyle.
According to psychologist Robert Emmons, gratitude can transform people’s lives for several reasons. Because it helps peoplefocus on the present, it plays a role in magnifying positive emotions.
Focusing on gratitutde can also help improveself-worth. When you acknowledge that there are people in the world who care about you and are looking out for your interests, it can help you recognize your value.
Robert Emmons, professor at UC DavisGratitude blocks toxic emotions, such as envy, resentment, regret, and depression, which can destroy our happiness.
Robert Emmons, professor at UC Davis
Gratitude blocks toxic emotions, such as envy, resentment, regret, and depression, which can destroy our happiness.
Many different exercises and interventions have been shown to help people cultivate a stronger sense of gratitude in their day-to-day life.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Keeping agratitude journalcan be a great way to develop this skill. Spend a few minutes each day writing about something you are grateful for. This doesn’t need to be a long or complex process.
Simply listing two or three items each day and focusing on experiencing gratitude for them can help.
In one study, healthcare workers who wrote down “three good things” each day experienced decreased emotional exhaustion and depression and improved theirwork-life balanceand overallhappiness.
Reframe Experiences
Reframeexperiences to take a more positive, realistic, or neutral approach. Another way to increase gratitude is to compare current situations to negative experiences in the past. Doing this not only allows you to see how your strengths helped carry you through those events, but it also helps you focus on the things you can be grateful for in the here and now.
Focus on Your Senses
Taking moments to focus on what you see, hear, taste, touch, and feel can be helpful for building feelings of gratitude. This can help you gain a greater appreciation of the world around you and what it means to be alive.
Want to Relieve Stress ASAP? Write in a Gratitude Journal
Potential Pitfalls of Gratitude
While gratitude is generally viewed as having a host of wide-ranging benefits, there are situations where it may have some downsides. For example, if you view it as a situation that creates a debt, it may make you feel a sense of obligation that could potentially contribute to feelings of stress.
The pressure to feel grateful, particularly around certain times of the year such asThanksgivingand Christmas, can also contribute to feelings of stress.
Sometimes putting all your energy into feeling grateful can cause you to neglect things that actually do require some criticism. For example, if you are so focused on feeling thankful for your partner, you might overlook or accept certain behaviors that are harmful to your well-being. This can contribute to problems withtoxic positivitythat actually undermine your well-being.
What This Means For YouHowever, it is important to remember that these potential pitfalls are relatively minor compared to the overwhelming benefits of practicing gratitude. It would be best if you didn’t put too much pressure on yourself, but making an effort to cultivate a sense of gratitude is something worth adding to your daily life.
What This Means For You
However, it is important to remember that these potential pitfalls are relatively minor compared to the overwhelming benefits of practicing gratitude. It would be best if you didn’t put too much pressure on yourself, but making an effort to cultivate a sense of gratitude is something worth adding to your daily life.
Why Toxic Positivity Can Be Harmful
14 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Diniz G, Korkes L, Tristão LS, Pelegrini R, Bellodi PL, Bernardo WM.The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2023;21:eRW0371. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2023RW0371Kong F, You X, Zhao J.Evaluation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in a Chinese sample of adults: factorial validity, criterion-related validity, and measurement invariance across sex.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1498. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01498Allen S.The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.McNulty JK, Dugas A.A dyadic perspective on gratitude sheds light on both its benefits and its costs: Evidence that low gratitude acts as a “weak link”.Journal of Family Psychology. 2019;33(7):876-881. doi:10.1037/fam0000533Jackowska M, Brown J, Ronaldson A, Steptoe A.The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep.J Health Psychol. 2016;21(10):2207-17. doi:10.1177/1359105315572455Chen LH, Wu C-H.Gratitude enhances change in athletes’ self-esteem: the moderating role of trust in coach.Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 2014;26(3):349-362. doi:10.1080/10413200.2014.889255Cregg DR, Cheavens JS.Gratitude interventions: effective self-help? A meta-analysis of the impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety.J Happiness Stud. 2021;22(1):413-445. doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00236-6Salces-Cubero IM, Ramírez-Fernández E, Ortega-Martínez AR.Strengths in older adults: differential effect of savoring, gratitude and optimism on well-being.Aging & Mental Health. 2019;23(8):1017-1024. doi:10.1080/13607863.2018.1471585Kerry N, Chhabra R, Clifton JDW.Being thankful for what you have: A systematic review of evidence for the effect of gratitude on life satisfaction.Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023;16:4799-4816. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S372432Boggiss AL, Consedine NS, Brenton-Peters JM, Hofman PL, Serlachius AS.A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors.J Psychosom Res. 2020;135:110165. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110165UC Davis Health Center.Gratitude is good medicine.Sexton JB, Adair KC.Forty-five good things: a prospective pilot study of the Three Good Things well-being intervention in the USA for healthcare worker emotional exhaustion, depression, work-life balance and happiness.BMJ Open. 2019;9(3):e022695. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022695Emmons R.10 ways to become more grateful.Greater Good Magazine.
14 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Diniz G, Korkes L, Tristão LS, Pelegrini R, Bellodi PL, Bernardo WM.The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2023;21:eRW0371. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2023RW0371Kong F, You X, Zhao J.Evaluation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in a Chinese sample of adults: factorial validity, criterion-related validity, and measurement invariance across sex.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1498. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01498Allen S.The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.McNulty JK, Dugas A.A dyadic perspective on gratitude sheds light on both its benefits and its costs: Evidence that low gratitude acts as a “weak link”.Journal of Family Psychology. 2019;33(7):876-881. doi:10.1037/fam0000533Jackowska M, Brown J, Ronaldson A, Steptoe A.The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep.J Health Psychol. 2016;21(10):2207-17. doi:10.1177/1359105315572455Chen LH, Wu C-H.Gratitude enhances change in athletes’ self-esteem: the moderating role of trust in coach.Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 2014;26(3):349-362. doi:10.1080/10413200.2014.889255Cregg DR, Cheavens JS.Gratitude interventions: effective self-help? A meta-analysis of the impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety.J Happiness Stud. 2021;22(1):413-445. doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00236-6Salces-Cubero IM, Ramírez-Fernández E, Ortega-Martínez AR.Strengths in older adults: differential effect of savoring, gratitude and optimism on well-being.Aging & Mental Health. 2019;23(8):1017-1024. doi:10.1080/13607863.2018.1471585Kerry N, Chhabra R, Clifton JDW.Being thankful for what you have: A systematic review of evidence for the effect of gratitude on life satisfaction.Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023;16:4799-4816. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S372432Boggiss AL, Consedine NS, Brenton-Peters JM, Hofman PL, Serlachius AS.A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors.J Psychosom Res. 2020;135:110165. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110165UC Davis Health Center.Gratitude is good medicine.Sexton JB, Adair KC.Forty-five good things: a prospective pilot study of the Three Good Things well-being intervention in the USA for healthcare worker emotional exhaustion, depression, work-life balance and happiness.BMJ Open. 2019;9(3):e022695. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022695Emmons R.10 ways to become more grateful.Greater Good Magazine.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584Diniz G, Korkes L, Tristão LS, Pelegrini R, Bellodi PL, Bernardo WM.The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2023;21:eRW0371. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2023RW0371Kong F, You X, Zhao J.Evaluation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in a Chinese sample of adults: factorial validity, criterion-related validity, and measurement invariance across sex.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1498. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01498Allen S.The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.McNulty JK, Dugas A.A dyadic perspective on gratitude sheds light on both its benefits and its costs: Evidence that low gratitude acts as a “weak link”.Journal of Family Psychology. 2019;33(7):876-881. doi:10.1037/fam0000533Jackowska M, Brown J, Ronaldson A, Steptoe A.The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep.J Health Psychol. 2016;21(10):2207-17. doi:10.1177/1359105315572455Chen LH, Wu C-H.Gratitude enhances change in athletes’ self-esteem: the moderating role of trust in coach.Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 2014;26(3):349-362. doi:10.1080/10413200.2014.889255Cregg DR, Cheavens JS.Gratitude interventions: effective self-help? A meta-analysis of the impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety.J Happiness Stud. 2021;22(1):413-445. doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00236-6Salces-Cubero IM, Ramírez-Fernández E, Ortega-Martínez AR.Strengths in older adults: differential effect of savoring, gratitude and optimism on well-being.Aging & Mental Health. 2019;23(8):1017-1024. doi:10.1080/13607863.2018.1471585Kerry N, Chhabra R, Clifton JDW.Being thankful for what you have: A systematic review of evidence for the effect of gratitude on life satisfaction.Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023;16:4799-4816. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S372432Boggiss AL, Consedine NS, Brenton-Peters JM, Hofman PL, Serlachius AS.A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors.J Psychosom Res. 2020;135:110165. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110165UC Davis Health Center.Gratitude is good medicine.Sexton JB, Adair KC.Forty-five good things: a prospective pilot study of the Three Good Things well-being intervention in the USA for healthcare worker emotional exhaustion, depression, work-life balance and happiness.BMJ Open. 2019;9(3):e022695. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022695Emmons R.10 ways to become more grateful.Greater Good Magazine.
Cunha LF, Pellanda LC, Reppold CT.Positive psychology and gratitude interventions: a randomized clinical trial.Front Psychol. 2019;10:584. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584
Diniz G, Korkes L, Tristão LS, Pelegrini R, Bellodi PL, Bernardo WM.The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2023;21:eRW0371. doi:10.31744/einstein_journal/2023RW0371
Kong F, You X, Zhao J.Evaluation of the Gratitude Questionnaire in a Chinese sample of adults: factorial validity, criterion-related validity, and measurement invariance across sex.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1498. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01498
Allen S.The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.
McNulty JK, Dugas A.A dyadic perspective on gratitude sheds light on both its benefits and its costs: Evidence that low gratitude acts as a “weak link”.Journal of Family Psychology. 2019;33(7):876-881. doi:10.1037/fam0000533
Jackowska M, Brown J, Ronaldson A, Steptoe A.The impact of a brief gratitude intervention on subjective well-being, biology and sleep.J Health Psychol. 2016;21(10):2207-17. doi:10.1177/1359105315572455
Chen LH, Wu C-H.Gratitude enhances change in athletes’ self-esteem: the moderating role of trust in coach.Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 2014;26(3):349-362. doi:10.1080/10413200.2014.889255
Cregg DR, Cheavens JS.Gratitude interventions: effective self-help? A meta-analysis of the impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety.J Happiness Stud. 2021;22(1):413-445. doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00236-6
Salces-Cubero IM, Ramírez-Fernández E, Ortega-Martínez AR.Strengths in older adults: differential effect of savoring, gratitude and optimism on well-being.Aging & Mental Health. 2019;23(8):1017-1024. doi:10.1080/13607863.2018.1471585
Kerry N, Chhabra R, Clifton JDW.Being thankful for what you have: A systematic review of evidence for the effect of gratitude on life satisfaction.Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023;16:4799-4816. doi:10.2147/PRBM.S372432
Boggiss AL, Consedine NS, Brenton-Peters JM, Hofman PL, Serlachius AS.A systematic review of gratitude interventions: Effects on physical health and health behaviors.J Psychosom Res. 2020;135:110165. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110165
UC Davis Health Center.Gratitude is good medicine.
Sexton JB, Adair KC.Forty-five good things: a prospective pilot study of the Three Good Things well-being intervention in the USA for healthcare worker emotional exhaustion, depression, work-life balance and happiness.BMJ Open. 2019;9(3):e022695. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022695
Emmons R.10 ways to become more grateful.Greater Good Magazine.
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