{"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

Paying it Forward<\/h3>\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

Greater Happiness<\/h3>\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

Look for what is right and good<\/h3>\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

Build a Gratitude Practice<\/h3>\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