According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, gratitude is defined as “The state of being grateful.” It is a simplistic definition for a word that can mean a whole lot. We have all likely felt gratitude towards people throughout our lives.

It could be because of something we were given or had done for us. Having someone be grateful to you is a great feeling but it can also be beneficial for the person expressing the gratitude as well.

What Is Gratitude?

Gratitude is a spontaneous feeling that we experience when something has been done for us. It is also suggested that embracing gratitude can be a good practice for mental health. This is a positive emotion that not only feels good inwardly but sends positive energy outward.

The Importance of Gratitude

A regular practice of gratitude not only boosts our happiness and mental health but can impact our physical health as well. Choosing to focus our energies on the positive emotion of being thankful for what we have distracts us from the negative feelings of what we do not.

How Gratitude Can Heal

Psychologist Lisa Firestone Ph.D. suggests that gratitude is one of the most important tools to attaining success in our modern world. According to Dr. Firestone, gratitude helps us better understand ourselves and our personal values.

As a result, we can be more centered emotionally and find healing in a number of ways such as:

• Improved happiness
• Greater optimism
• Positive attitude
• Improved relationships
• Improved health
• Greater personal progress
• Fewer aches and pains
• Greater alertness
• Improved generosity
• Better sleep
• Boosted self-esteem

All these positive effects can go to support a brighter more positive outlook. When we appreciate what we have and what we are given, we can better deal with disappointment. The most important thing to consider with gratitude is there is no downside to being grateful.

How To Embrace Gratitude

Although gratitude is a spontaneous emotion which we most commonly experience in the moment of receiving something, we can also learn to be more grateful. It is often hard to muster gratitude for the things we already have which can be limiting.

Berkeley University suggests a few tips that can help people boost their feelings of gratitude which includes.

Journaling: A good tip to promote gratitude is to start a gratitude journal. This is a good way to allow you to write down the things you have that you are grateful for. It creates a visual reminder of the things that are important in life.

Appreciate your Senses: Our five senses are something we often take for granted and as odd as it sounds, they are something we should be grateful for. There are many people in the world who lack one or more of these senses and have to go through life without being able to see, smell, hear, touch, and taste.
Choose Gratitude: Gratitude is not a hard attitude to adopt because there is always something for which you can be grateful. Others may have more than you, but you can choose to embrace what you have.

Seek ways to be Grateful: Be creative in your search for things for which to be grateful. Seek new chances for gratitude and give others chances to be grateful for you.

Final Thoughts

Gratitude can work in both directions; we can feel good for things we have and we can feel good for giving to others. It is an easy emotion to embrace and can really help heal our emotional and physical health.

This article originally appeared in the Autumn 2021 issue of CHOICES Magazine