Gratitude, from the Latin word free, “pleasant, grateful,” or recognition, is a feeling of appreciation experienced by and/or a similar positive response shown by the recipient of kindness, gifts, help, favors, or other types of generosity, toward the giver of such gifts. The experience of gratitude has historically been at the center of the different religions of the world, as well as has been a topic of interest for ancient, medieval, modern philosophers and contemporary thinkers.
In this Psychology-Online article, we will provide you with information about What is gratitude and how to practice itwith examples, and what are its benefits.
What is gratitude
If we were to answer the question of what gratitude is, the answer would be related to the definition first coined in 1828 in Webster’s famous dictionary: a deep feeling of appreciation towards someone who has given me something usefulcapable of improving the state in which I am and arousing in me pleasant emotions (joy, satisfaction) and positive feelings () towards someone who has carried out an altruistic action for my benefit.
If we want to better understand the complexity of this concept and its importance in the scientific field, we must remember that, like many other words, gratitude can have different meanings in relation to the different ethical-philosophical, psychological, social, etc. contexts.
To cite just a few examples of gratitude, there are those who consider it a moral virtue, an emotion, an action, a feeling, an attitude or even a personality trait, a social function or even a strategy linked to the ability to copingalso effective in the therapeutic field.
Benefits of gratitude
What is the value of gratitude? It is difficult to measure feelings, but the truth is that giving thanks or being grateful can have very favorable consequences. Next, we will show you the main benefits of gratitude:
- Gratitude and happiness: Gratitude brings happiness. Every time you are grateful for something there is pleasure, joy and you feel grateful for your progress. If this becomes a habit, it can help the person be very happy in life by deriving pleasure from its results.
- Gratitude and health: Gratitude gives a general feeling of strength and willingness to move forward. A researcher has discovered that there is a strong connection between gratitude and good health by keeping a gratitude journal. By checking it before going to bed every day, every night would be better and you would wake up the next day rested.
- Gratitude and profession: the attitude of appreciating people for everything they do, apart from the fact that it makes them stronger, makes them like you. It builds unity and with it the team can achieve a lot as a whole. This helps solve problems.
- Gratitude and neurotransmitters: Recently, specialists have begun to refer to gratitude as a natural antidepressant. If gratitude becomes a habit, the effect could be similar to the effects of medications and provide long-lasting satisfaction and happiness. The only physiological explanation is that it is a positive response on the part of . and when gratitude is expressed, the brain releases serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that positively affect mood.
- Gratitude and social psychology: Social psychologists believe that gratitude strengthens our relationship with others. It has to do with the feeling that what we have done for others or what others have done for us improves the way we relate.
How to practice gratitude
There are different types of interventions to increase the level of gratitude in people, subdivided into two categories that we will see below:
1. Expressions of gratitude through behavior
When in doubt about how gratitude can be expressed, one of the most used exercises is writing a thank you letter to the affected person.
In a recent study, people who had to complete this exercise had one week to deliver this letter. They were then compared with a control group that had as an exercise writing their own childhood memories. The results reported an increase in happiness and a decrease in depression in the immediate post-test and after a month for the experimental group.
2. Diary of the three blessings
This method of expressing gratitude has been the most studied and used. An exercise of this type foresees, for example, the journal writing three things or situations to be grateful for before going to bed. It is a simple and quick technique appreciated by those who practice it, who often choose to continue it even after the intervention ends.
In this sense, writing a is a good way to learn to forgive, be more positive and improve self-control. If you don’t have a gratitude journal, you can get yours here:
Examples of gratitude
According to the , gratitude is a feeling of appreciation that produces lasting positivity, but it is also a more general feeling directed at life. The difference is in our view, in our interpretation of the things that happen to us and those around us.
In short, showing gratitude allows us to relate differently to each event in our lives and appreciate everything more. Let’s look at some examples of gratitude:
- Feel gratitude and recognition to the sun that comes out every day to give us its light and its warmth and spiritual information of unconditional love for all.
- Feel gratitude for our house that hosts and welcomes us, that is a nest and refuge and safe harbor, a place of intimacy and security.
- Be grateful for the beauty that nature It gives us and allows us to harmonize our body and connect to universal harmonies.
- Be grateful for the chair we are sitting inbecause it welcomes us.
- Feel gratitude for the dove that looks out the window and looks at us or even by coworker that breaks our boxes because precisely that discomfort shows us parts of ourselves that it is time to consider, nourish, sweeten and love.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Cebrelli, A. M. (2021). The great and wonderful potere of gratitudeine. Retrieved from: https://www.greenme.it/vivere/mente-emozioni/potere-della-gratitudine/
- Farneti, P. (2016). Gratitudine, I donate, I forgive, spiritualità. Positive emotions in individual and social life. Milan: Franco Angeli.
- Laudadio, A., Mancuso, S. (2015). Manual of positive psychology. Milan: Franco Angeli.
- Régulo, MJ (2021). Start managing your longing, even if you are happy and manage your emotions.