Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

November 2019

Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

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The Science of Gratitude

Researchers have been studying the impact of gratitude and the results are powerful. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude really matters. People who practice gratitude consistently experience a range of benefits, especially in the physical, psychological and social realms. For example:

Physical

• Stronger immune system
• Less bothered by aches and pains
• Better sleep and feel more refreshed upon waking

Psychological

• Higher levels of positive emotions
• More alert, alive, and awake
• More optimism and happiness

Social

• Increased generosity and compassion
• More forgiving
• Decreased sense of loneliness and isolation.

The practice of gratitude can have dramatic and lasting effects in a persons life.

Robert Emmons

Gratitude Matters!

Research shows gratitude allows us to celebrate the present. It magnifies positive emotions and supports being an active participant in life, rather than a spectator. It helps us to appreciate the good and experience it in a deeper and more sustained way.

Gratitude blocks toxic, negative emotions, such as envy, resentment, and regret. These emotions can negatively impact our life and destroy our happiness. There is even research to show gratitude has the capacity to reduce the frequency and duration of episodes of depression.

Cultivating Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is not always easy. We are challenged on a daily basis by negativity (at work, at home, in the community, in the news, etc.), busy schedules, hectic lifestyles… the list is long.

Knowing the power of gratitude, but that it is not always easy to live with gratitude, can actually help you to create a gratitude practice.

Cultivate the benefits through daily practices, such as:

• Taking the time to recognize and reflect on the good in a gratitude journal.
• Create visual reminders that trigger thoughts of gratitude. What are your “gratitude triggers“?  

Source: Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons, Ph.D. Robert Emmons is an author, Professor of psychology at UC Davis, and a leading scientific expert on the science of gratitude.

About the Author

HR thought leader, Stacy Johnston, provides innovative HR solutions with a mission to support organizations in understanding and engaging their biggest competitive advantage… their employees. Johnston writes and speaks about contemporary HR topics. She is a licensed attorney and holds the SHRM-CP and PHR credentials.

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