Importance of Gratitude
In a world with increasing complications and conveniences, the former usually ends up taking the lead role. It seems reasonable because, for improvement, all efforts go where the issues lie. What’s convenient, on the other hand, becomes a given over time. Except that humans are not machines. People require more than a routine of doing one job and moving on to the next. They need to savor and be grateful for the basic gifts of life- for what’s convenient today did not always exist and might not be permanent.
Even when one is constantly achieving goals and receiving what they wished for, the happiness of these circumstances does not persist until the person makes a conscious effort to stay grateful. This is due to a phenomenon called “hedonic adaptation”, which makes people gradually get used to events, even if they are positive. The pleasure from things that once made a person happy tends to wear off, and people find themselves always struggling for more, hoping to feel that joy again.
Fortunately, there is a way to come alive daily. As David SteindL-Rast, the author of Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer puts it, “Stop, look and then go.” His words underscore the value of taking a moment for being grateful to the world around oneself. According to his philosophy, happiness does not come before gratitude. Instead, gratitude is the path that leads to happiness.
Meaning of Gratitude
Unlike many abstract terms, gratitude has a basic noncontroversial meaning. It is a genuine sentiment of thankfulness and appreciation. The leading researcher of the concept, Robert Emmons, brought some precision to gratitude by splitting it into two distinct elements. The first component involves affirming that there is some good in the world. The second focuses on finding the source of goodness outside oneself. The purpose of the latter half is to acknowledge the direct or indirect role others play in making one’s life better.
Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude
Gratitude is gold with no price tag. Nor is it provided at the mercy of someone, except one’s self. Developing a habit out of it is like finding the holy grail of wellbeing. In 2003, psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough published groundbreaking discoveries about the benefits of practicing gratitude, which serve as scientific proof for the above-mentioned philosophy of David SteindL-Rast too! They found that making a note of things one feels grateful about regularly can do wonders for people physically, psychologically, and socially:-
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Physically : Gratitude helps in strengthening the immune system, decreasing the impact of pain, and lowering blood pressure. Grateful people are found to take more care of themselves, feel more energetic, and sleep better too.
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Psychologically : People who express gratitude experience an improved mood and increased levels of positive emotions. They feel more alert, joyous, and optimistic.
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Socially : Grateful people tend to be naturally compassionate and forgiving. They are not as lonely and feel that their connections with others are strong.
The multitude of research on gratitude at Eastern Washington University has narrowed down four significant characteristics of grateful people, which can be developed by practicing gratitude:-
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They possess a sense of having plenty.
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They savor little things.
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They value the role other people play in making their life easier.
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They recognize the power of gratitude.
Tools for Practising Gratitude
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Gratitude Journaling: It is easier to stick with new habits when they have a relatively concrete presence. Keeping a diary to jot down the things, moments, people that one is grateful for can be a good way to keep track of the developing habit. The presence of a diary also acts as a cue and reminds people to follow-through.
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Write letters / Thank-You Notes: Writing one’s appreciation and being thankful intrinsically can bring a lot of fulfillment, even if the letter is unsent. Martin Seligman, a pioneer of positive psychology, found that personally delivering a letter of gratitude to the concerned person shoots up happiness levels.
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Gratitude Jars: Another way to make gratitude expression fun and rewarding is to keep a gratitude jar. Whenever people feel grateful for something, they can write it on a chit and drop it in the jar. One can choose the date when they would like to open and read all the chits. Many people like to read them when a new year arrives.
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Prayer: Spiritual people or theists can find contentment by praying to a higher power and expressing thankfulness.
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Be Novel: Humans love to be creative and get involved in novel experiences. People can be creative in their approach to developing a habit of expressing gratitude. For example, they can adopt the method of savoring one experience every day and write about it in detail. Whatever the approach, the key is consistency. The human mind has a “negativity bias” and it’s very easy for it to fall out of the habit of being grateful even before it’s developed. Stay consistent.
Why Such Simple Activities Can be Hard to Continue:-
Expressing gratitude briefly but consistently is one of the simplest things to do with enormous value. Yet, according to Robert Emmons, it can seem challenging initially due to the following reasons:-
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Self-Serving Bias: The common self-serving bias is a natural inclination to give oneself credit when things go right, and blame externally when things go wrong. The process of being grateful challenges this fundamental bias by not succumbing to it. When people are truly grateful, neither do they blame, nor do they give themselves full credit (Recall the second component of gratitude by Emmons).
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Need for Control: People need control because it lessens uncertainty and subsequent anxiety. However, being grateful for one’s conditions makes one more accepting towards all there is and all that is coming.
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Just-World Hypothesis: It is another cognitive bias that makes people believe the world will serve them justly and give them all they deserve. The phenomenon of gratitude is built on the realization that the world doesn’t owe people anything. Until this realization comes (which it will as long as you stay consistent), being grateful might seem tough sometimes.
Being Grateful for Gratitude
Since the world as we know it has both complications and convenience, what we make of it has a lot to do with perception. As William Arthur Ward once said, “Gratitude can turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Shibani Chakravorty is a team member at MindTribe.in.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.