Gratitude is an emotion which occurs when people receive something which they perceive as costly, valuable and altruistic; it is a state of noticing and appreciation. It has been related to experiencing positive affect more frequently and greater life satisfaction. There is a consistent picture that gratitude is important for wellbeing. It is also associated with pro-social behaviour, post-traumatic growth and forgiveness (DeShea, 2003). Typically when people begin to think about what they are grateful for it is a mixture of things. Sometimes it’s the small kindnesses we receive, e.g. a friend cooking a meal you like, but it can also be something inherent in how life is in the present day e.g. being grateful to be alive or that we all have the right to vote. Both are valid and important to consider. Wood et al (2010) identified 8 different aspects of gratitude:
- Individual differences in grateful affect (frequency, intensity, duration).
- Appreciation of other people (gratitude towards others).
- A focus on what the person has (tangible and intangible assets a person has).
- Feelings of awe.
- Behaviours which express gratitude.
- Focusing on the positive in the present moment (gratitude towards things other than people).
- ‘Life is short’ permanent. – appreciation that nothing is permanent.
- Positive social comparisons i.e. appreciation arising from recognition that life could be worse.
Consider More:
1) How often do you stop and think about what you are grateful for?rn2) Which aspects of gratitude do you find you relate to the most?
You might want to make notes at this point. These may help you remember things, work out what you want or see how much you’ve changed if you read them again in a few years’ time.