The Benefits of Gratitude

Got gratitude? Cultivating a consistent practice and an attitude of gratitude can improve your physical and emotional well-being.

Research shows that gratitude can (Morin, 2014):

• Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
• Improve your physical health. People who practice gratitude report feeling healthier (i.e. experiencing fewer colds and aches and pains), exercising more, and engaging in more healthy practices than those who don’t.
• Improve your psychological health. Grateful people report higher levels of well-being and happiness and reduced symptoms of depression.
• Enhance empathy and reduce aggression. Those who engage in gratitude practices show higher levels of sensitivity and empathy.
• Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
• Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem.
• Increase in resilience. Grateful people are better able to bounce back from highly stressful situations.

Ideas & Action

Get great ideas for Gratitude Practices and read more about the many ways gratitude can help to reduce stress from the Center of Disease Control (CDC).