Gratitude
Appreciating what you’ve been given
Strength of Heart
“Look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now!”
— Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton: An American Musical
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is appreciating what you’ve been given.
Why does gratitude matter?
When you feel gratitude, you feel a sense of abundance. When you express gratitude — especially when it’s heartfelt — you strengthen your relationships with others. Grateful people are happier and more fulfilled. And gratitude leads you to be nicer to other people: more cooperative, patient, and trusting.
Pulse Check
Think about how your day is going. How many of these things are true?
How do I encourage gratitude in others?
Model it. Talk about the good things that happen to you: “I love this gorgeous spring day!” Reframe difficulties by highlighting positive aspects: “Work has been stressful lately, but I’m grateful that my boss trusts me with important responsibilities.”
Celebrate it. Acknowledge when someone demonstrates gratitude: “It makes me feel really great when you thank me for what I am doing.” Display thank you notes you’ve received where others can see them. Post Three Good Things on social media.
Enable it. Keep stationery handy for writing thank you notes. At dinner, make it a habit to begin by sharing one good thing that happened that day. Establish a birthday ritual to write notes of appreciation.