Four Ways to Express Your Appreciation
Numerous studies in the field of positive psychology have discovered several ways in which practicing gratitude might improve people's health and well-being. Here are four of these "gratitude interventions" that have been researched and proven to work.
1. Write a note of thanks to express your appreciation. Researchers such as Martin Seligman and Christopher Peterson, among others, have discovered that this one is particularly beneficial. Compose a letter of gratitude to someone who has been particularly influential in your life, such as a mentor, a family member, or someone else. Deliver it in person if possible. Read it aloud to yourself. Bring Kleenex with you.
2. Keep a thankfulness notebook to record your thoughts and feelings. These findings have been supported by research conducted by psychologists Michael McCullough and Robert Emmons, as well as Sonja Lyubomirsky and others. The exercise involves keeping a list of things for which you are grateful, which can include anything from your children or spouse to the beauty of the tree outside your window. This allows you to concentrate on the positive aspects of your life, which has been found to lead to greater levels of happiness.
3. Savor. Take the time to appreciate the beauty and pleasures that surround you in your daily life. A study conducted by Loyola University psychologist Fred Bryant found that remembering happy experiences can help you respond more positively to them in the future. "Thanksgiving," as Bryant refers to it, is an important part of savoring because it allows you to express thankfulness for all of the blessings that come your way, big and little.
4. Consider alternatives to the conventional wisdom. Grannies, beautiful sunsets, and everything else that has brought us comfort or beauty in our lives should be apparent reasons for us to express our gratitude. Nevertheless, what about expressing gratitude to the homeless people that come to your shelter where you volunteer? Robert Emmons says in his forthcoming book, Thanks!, that people who volunteer often speak of the rewards they obtain from their efforts. The opportunity to serve others helped them discover their own inner spirituality, and as a result, they were grateful for the opportunity to serve. If we look hard enough, he argues, we can find a reason to be grateful for any relationship—even when someone hurts us, because that person helps us appreciate our own vulnerability. According to Emmons, such highly evolved kinds of gratitude have the potential to genuinely enhance the level of goodness in the world by prompting positive actions in ourselves and others to take place.