{"id":2944,"date":"2020-12-01T12:45:48","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T17:45:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/?p=2944"},"modified":"2023-08-14T07:59:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T11:59:07","slug":"gratitude-a-recipe-for-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/gratitude-a-recipe-for-happiness\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude: A Recipe for Happiness"},"content":{"rendered":"
We are in the worst time of this pandemic, and the holidays are upon us.\u00a0 It may be a tough time for some of us to feel grateful, and it can also be a time when we find gratitude for things we may have taken for granted before.\u00a0In the\u00a0Greater Good Magazine<\/a>, Psychologist Nathan Greene talks about how gratitude can be complicated during times of struggle. \u201cGratitude can come from the experience of not having, too, in reflecting on what we did have in the past and what we hope to have in the future.\u201d Gratitude can even come from loss, as a way of making meaning. We realize our vulnerability and the essentialness of connection.<\/p>\n Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. It\u2019s acknowledging the goodness in our lives. Expressing gratitude reminds us that we need each other; that where we are, and how we came to be here is not just through our own effort. Being reminded of that fact then creates a sense of empathy for those who may not have had equal access to opportunities. It can bring about a sense of wanting to \u201cpay it forward\u201d, or what Alfred Adler called Social Responsibility. Contributing to something outside of oneself, then builds a greater sense of purpose, satisfaction and positive emotions, and the cycle continues.<\/p>\n 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. \u00a0In their\u00a0positive psychology research<\/a>, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Their research shows that gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.<\/p>\n The holidays are an opportunity for us to focus on those around us whom we appreciate.\u00a0 What if we could incorporate gratitude into our daily lives? David DeSteno, in his new book,\u00a0Emotional Success, The Power of Gratitude, Compassion and Pride<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0tells us how we can enlist our emotions to be better people.\u00a0 Simply focusing on what we have (not what we don\u2019t have) creates positive emotions.\u00a0 These emotions are constructive and powerful.\u00a0 Martin Seligman, the author of\u00a0Learned Optimism<\/em>, believes that positive emotions have evolved to motivate and guide us to win-win situations.\u00a0 In his book,\u00a0Authentic Happiness<\/a><\/em>, Seligman states, \u201cpositive emotions are part of a sensory system that alerts to us the presence of a potential win-win. They also set up an action repertoire and a mindset that broadens and builds abiding intellectual and social resources.\u00a0 Positive emotions, in short, build the cathedrals of our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n So how can we build a gratitude practice that has so many benefits? Here are a few simple ideas. Pick one that you can start today:<\/p>\n In therapy, we talk about how as individuals and as partners in couple relationships, we can get stuck in negative patterns of behavior.\u00a0 Changing one aspect of your life can change the entire structure for the better.\u00a0 A simple act of kindness can jump-start a cascade of positive consequences.\u00a0 It can also impact your self-perception, so you begin to see yourself as a more compassionate person.\u00a0 Offering gratitude to another also leads to reciprocation, even though it\u2019s not done with that expectation. It\u2019s about building your own positive emotions.<\/p>\n Learn the practice of appreciation dialogues in a Getting the Love You Want Workshop-now virtual. Couples relationship workshops are offered monthly at the Imago Center.\u00a0Learn more here.<\/a>\u00a0Register today for the 2 part Dec5\/6, 12\/13 workshop with\u00a0Caroline Bernhardt-Lanier<\/a>\u00a0and Jason Bernhardt-Lanier<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We are in the worst time of this pandemic, and the holidays are upon us.\u00a0 It may be a tough time for some of us to feel grateful, and it can also be a time when we find gratitude for things we may have taken for granted before.\u00a0In the\u00a0Greater Good Magazine, Psychologist Nathan Greene talks about how gratitude can be complicated during times of struggle. \u201cGratitude can come from the experience of not having, too, in reflecting on what we did have in the past and what we hope to have in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2944"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.toryjoseph.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Paying it Forward<\/h3>\n
Greater Happiness<\/h3>\n
Look for what is right and good<\/h3>\n
Build a Gratitude Practice<\/h3>\n
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Be the Change You Long to See<\/h3>\n
Learn more about adding Gratitude to you life<\/h3>\n