Gratitude is having a deeper appreciation of all that you have in life. Gratitude fosters resilience, enhances relationships, and protects our physical and emotional wellbeing. 

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Gratitude is seeing the good and going a little further. 

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Robert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, says that gratitude has two key components:

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1. Gratitude is an acknowledgement of good things in the world from which we have benefited. This does not mean that life has to be perfect. It means when we look at our life as a whole, we can find goodness.

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2. Gratitude is a recognition of where that goodness comes from - the people and forces in our lives are responsible for this goodness. This involves our realization of our “humble dependency” on others. 

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There are a plethora of psychological, physical and social benefits to gratitude.

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Your brain on gratitude. Research shows that gratitude generates activation in the brain’s areas associated with:

• other people’s perspectives
• empathy
• social bonding
• feelings of relief
• emotional regulation
• stress relief
• reward centers

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Your body on gratitude. Many studies confirm the benefits of gratitude on the physical body such as:

• reduced levels of inflammation in the body
• fewer headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and respiratory infections
• better recover from heart attacks
• higher motivation to exercise
• better sleep
• healthier lifestyles in general

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Your life on gratitude. Gratitude makes people more engaged in life. Here are some examples:

• Gratitude boosts academic engagement and lessens burnout in undergraduate college students
• Gratitude fosters belonging and purpose and boosts employee engagement.
• Grateful people pay it forward and work to improve the lives of others

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Gratitude is a feeling, an action, and a character trait. 

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Gratitude is a warm feeling that naturally arises when we feel thankful for something.

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When expressed, gratitude is an action that communicates our recognition of our humble dependency on others, on nature, and on forces larger than ourselves. 

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Over time, gratitude can become a durable trait that we carry in ourselves that fosters resilience, enhances our relationships, and positively impacts our emotional and physical wellbeing.

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Here are five gratitude tips:

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1. Say “thanks” more often. Make the time to thank the people around you for what they do, both the “big” things and the “small” things.

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2. Get better at receiving thanks. Pause, smile, and say “you’re welcome” with sincerity. Accept the gratitude being offered to you.

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3. Start meetings with gratitude. A few minutes of sharing appreciations and thanks can change the entire tone of a meeting for the better.

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4. Reframe past events. Ask yourself: what lessons did this experience teach me? How did it help me grow? How can I be grateful for it now?

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5. Give back. Helping others and volunteering for a cause instills a sense of thankfulness in yourself and in those you help.

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Here are five gratitude practices:

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1. Take in the Good. Make it a practice to take in the good, whenever and wherever you find it. Turn a good fact into a good experience by savoring it with all of your senses.

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2. Three Good Things. 1 time/day: Write down three things that went well for you today and an explanation for why they went well.

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3. Gratitude Journal. 3 times/week: Write, type, or dictate up to 5 things for which you feel grateful. Be specific. Be descriptive.

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4. Savoring Walk. 1 time/week: Take a walk outside by yourself. Notice as many positive things around you as you can and take these in through your senses.
5. Gratitude Letter.  1 time/month: Write a letter to someone who did something for you for which you are grateful. Let them know how they affected your life and how you are doing now.