Wellness Wednesday: Gratitude

Even though this Thanksgiving will be very different than other years, we have much to be grateful for. A gratitude journal is a way to actually see that and to say grace but on paper. Gratitude has gained a lot of attention in the field of positive psychology and a large body of research suggests it can make us healthier and happier. Some studies have found that those who are habitually grateful are happier than those who are not. Feelings of gratitude may even possess mental and physical health benefits and can help relieve depressive symptoms.

Benefits of a gratitude journal

Credit: Robert Emmons and the Greater Good Science Center at U.C. Berkeley, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal

Physical

• Stronger immune systems
• Less bothered by aches and pains
• Lower blood pressure
• Exercise more and take better care of their health
• Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking

Psychological

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

Social

• More helpful, generous, and compassionate
• More forgiving
• More outgoing
• Feel less lonely and isolated

5 Gratitude Journal Tips

1. Write it down
   Putting your “things I am grateful for” list down on paper is important.
2. Note three to five things you are grateful for 
   This does not have to be a big list.
3. Pause for a moment to imagine what it would be like if these things were not in your life
   Your gratitude becomes crystal clear when you imagine the absence of the good stuff. Just like George Bailey in the film classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
4. Feel the gratitude for your blessings
   Really … take a couple breaths to really feel the blessings.
5. Do this just once a week!

It might be hard to get started so here is a jumping off point. Here are some things you might not notice right off the bat that you are most assuredly very grateful for:

• Indoor plumbing
• Hot water
• A roof over your head
• None of your teeth hurt right now
• You have a job

Below is a host of research supporting practicing gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, your friends, and your families!

Kind regards,
GME Wellness Committee

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Research on Gratitude

Emmons Lab. (2014, January 27). Gratitude and well-being. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/Labs/emmons/PWT/index.cfm?Section=4

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Personality & Social Psychology, 88, 377-389.

Froh, Jeffrey J., William J. Sefick, and Robert A. Emmons. “Counting Blessings in Early Adolescents: An Experimental Study of Gratitude and Subjective Well-being.” Journal of School Psychology 46.2 (2008): 213-33.

Parks , A, C, Della Porta, M. D., Pierce, R. S., Zilca, R., Lyubomirsky, S. (2012). Pursuing happiness in everyday life: The characteristics and behaviors of online happiness seekers. Emotion, 12(6). 1222-1234.

Seligman, M.; Steen, T.A.; Park, N. and Peterson, C. (2005). “Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions,” American Psychologist, 60:410-421.

Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005) Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131.

Seligman, M.; Steen, T.A.; Park, N. and Peterson, C. (2005). “Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions,” American Psychologist, 60:410-421.

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Personality & Social Psychology, 88, 377-389.

The Greater Good Science Center at University of California at Berkeley. (2011, November 17). Tips for keeping a gratitude journal. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal

Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005) Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131.

The Greater Good Science Center at University of California at Berkeley. (2011, November 17). Tips for keeping a gratitude journal. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal

Seligman, M.; Steen, T.A.; Park, N. and Peterson, C. (2005). “Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions,” American Psychologist, 60:410-421.

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Personality & Social Psychology, 88, 377-389.

The Greater Good Science Center at University of California at Berkeley. (2011, November 17). Tips for keeping a gratitude journal. Retrieved April 9, 2014, from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal