Gratitude seems like such a trendy word these days with every guru, spiritual influencer and even celebrity spouting the importance of being grateful, it’s easy to get numb to the idea. Before you dismiss the idea altogether as being the latest fad, there‘s some very strong research that suggests that a regular gratitude practice is beneficial for every aspect of your life.
According to Harvard Medicine‘s 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.
This article was inspired by the Huberman Lab Podcast episode 47 on gratitude which can be found here: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-science-of-gratitude-how-to-build-a/id1545953110?i=1000542687520
It shares the latest research on gratitude which says that gratitude can also reduce the symptoms of trauma and can lower feelings of resentment. The host, Andrew Huberman, is
a tenured Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance and in this episode he shares the most effective way to practice gratitude which I’ll also share in this blog post.
So what is gratitude? According to Harvard Health 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, being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.
Put more simply, gratitude is a feeling.
So it makes sense then that a gratitude practice must incorporate the feeling itself.
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