The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness (depending on the context). In some ways gratitude encompasses all of these meanings. Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.
In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. They can apply it to the past (retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings), the present (not taking good fortune for granted as it comes), and the future (maintaining a hopeful and optimistic attitude). Regardless of the inherent or current level of someone’s gratitude, it’s a quality that individuals can successfully cultivate further.
Research on gratitude
Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics.
One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
Another leading researcher in this field, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, tested the impact of various positive psychology interventions on 411 people, each compared with a control assignment of writing about early memories. When their week’s assignment was to write and personally deliver a letter of gratitude to someone who had never been properly thanked for his or her kindness, participants immediately exhibited a huge increase in happiness scores. This impact was greater than that from any other intervention, with benefits lasting for a month.
Of course, studies such as this one cannot prove cause and effect. But most of the studies published on this topic support an association between gratitude and an individual’s well-being.
Other studies have looked at how gratitude can improve relationships. For example, a study of couples found that individuals who took time to express gratitude for their partner not only felt more positive toward the other person but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns about their relationship.
Managers who remember to say “thank you” to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania randomly divided university fund-raisers into two groups. One group made phone calls to solicit alumni donations in the same way they always had. The second group — assigned to work on a different day — received a pep talk from the director of annual giving, who told the fund-raisers she was grateful for their efforts. During the following week, the university employees who heard her message of gratitude made 50% more fund-raising calls than those who did not.
Gratitude and the Law Of Attraction
Every day you see people whose lives are wonderful and those whose lives could be better. The ones who could have a better life have one thing in common – they lack gratitude for what they already have. They can’t gain more so long as they fail to appreciate what they already have. Their lack of gratitude closes them off from receiving more and they aren’t grateful for what they’ve already received.
No matter how bad someone’s life may be, there is always something to be grateful for. As soon as they find it, their life will improve.
Complaining is focusing on what the mind perceives to be a problem. The Universe knows there are no problems. Everything was created by you and you can change everything you have created – for better or worse.
If you want to lose all the wonderful, amazing things in your life…if you want your days to be harder…if you want to struggle to pay your bills…if you want to feel unloved or lose relationships…all you have to do is COMPLAIN.
If you want your life to get better in every possible way…if you want more than enough money…if you want incredible, loving relationships…if you want to be happy and fulfilled…all you have to do is be GRATEFUL.
Gratitude creates abundance. Complaining creates poverty.
Don’t be impressed with what you see around you, with what you think is “wrong” with your life.
Your vision of how you want your life to be is powerful.
See the life you want as already existing!
See your life expanding in all areas!
Feel alive and joyful as things are moving quickly to make your life even more magnificent!
You are connected to the creative energy of the Universe already. No matter how your life looks, you have the power to make it better. This knowledge alone should inspire you to be grateful and to appreciate everything around you already and everything that is coming to you.
If you truly want your life to change…
If you truly want to speed up the Law of Attraction…
If you truly want to manifest faster…
Gratitude can transform your life. It is a fast, simple and powerful energy that can produce immediate results.
“Gratitude is the most passionate transformative force in the cosmos. If you give thanks for five gifts every day, in two months you may not look at your life in the same way as you might now.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Think about everything you have to be grateful for right now.
Think about everything you have to be grateful for right now. You’ll be amazed at how many things there really are. Be grateful for the smallest of things because even gratitude for them can make your life greater than it already is.
Make sure you’re also grateful for everything you are about to receive. Think of everything you might possibly want to manifest and be grateful for it now – love, money, a new job, a vacation, a boat, a new house, inner peace, happiness, a car, a massage…
Being grateful now for the things you want to manifest confirms to the Universe that it is already yours and that you are open to receiving it. It energizes the Law of Attraction, enabling you to manifest quickly.
Be grateful that you’ve already attracted right now.
Let your heart overflow with gratitude.
Every day, say “thank you.” Say it 100 times before you even walk out the door. Say it while you shower. Say it while you brush your teeth. Say it while you dress. Know that with each “thank you” you are powerfully creating your day.
Continue to say “thank you” throughout your day for everything that happens. You’ll open yourself to synchronicity and begin receiving more good than you imagined possible.
Every night before you go to bed, write down the things that you are happy and grateful for – a beautiful sunset, a kind word, a parking space, a promotion at work… Include the things that you want to create – better communication with your children, losing 30 pounds, meeting your soulmate…
Gratitude doesn’t take much time at all, but it will amplify the Law of Attraction and enable you to manifest all your heart’s desires.
Ways to cultivate gratitude
Gratitude is a way for people to appreciate what they have instead of always reaching for something new in the hopes it will make them happier, or thinking they can’t feel satisfied until every physical and material need is met. Gratitude helps people refocus on what they have instead of what they lack. And, although it may feel contrived at first, this mental state grows stronger with use and practice.
Here are some ways to cultivate gratitude on a regular basis.
Write a thank-you note. You can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you letter expressing your enjoyment and appreciation of that person’s impact on your life. Send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. Make a habit of sending at least one gratitude letter a month. Once in a while, write one to yourself.
Thank someone mentally. No time to write? It may help just to think about someone who has done something nice for you, and mentally thank the individual.
Keep a gratitude journal. Make it a habit to write down or share with a loved one thoughts about the gifts you’ve received each day.
Count your blessings. Pick a time every week to sit down and write about your blessings — reflecting on what went right or what you are grateful for. Sometimes it helps to pick a number — such as three to five things — that you will identify each week. As you write, be specific and think about the sensations you felt when something good happened to you.
Pray. People who are religious can use prayer to cultivate gratitude.
Meditate. Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as “peace”), it is also possible to focus on what you’re grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).
Try gratitude daily for 30 days and watch things around you starting to change.
