
The Contagious Nature of Gratitude
Hello, beautiful souls! Gratitude is often compared to the ripples on a pond – one small act can send waves throughout an entire community. One study by researchers at UC Berkeley, found that people who were exposed to gratitude were more likely to express gratitude themselves. For example, participants who read a passage about gratitude were way more likely to say thank you to others than participants who read a passage about neutral topics. Another study, by the University of North Carolina found that people who were thanked were more likely to be helpful and generous towards others. For example, participants who were thanked for participating in a study were more likely to help a stranger with a task than participants who were not thanked. A third study, published in the journal Psychological Science, found that people who were exposed to gratitude were more likely to donate to charity. For example, participants who read a story about a grateful person were more likely to donate money to a charity than participants who read a story about a neutral person. These findings emphasize a fascinating insight: gratitude doesn’t just stay confined within an individual, it radiates outward. It creates a beautiful domino effect, making our communities more understanding and compassionate. How cool is that! Just saying ‘thank you’ can create a ripple effect of gratitude throughout our communities. Study Results Here’s a list of some of the positive effects participants reported when they practiced gratitude: They were also rated as happier by their spouse or significant other. Here are some links to those studies: Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis Michael E. McCullough, University of Miami Gratitude and Prosocial Behavior: Helping When It Costs You, Monica Y. Bartlett and David DeSteno, Psychological Science Vol. 17, No. 4 (Apr., 2006) How to simulate the effects from these studies There’s lots of ways to practice gratitude (my favourite is expressing it to others) but theses studies showed that the simple act of reflecting on 3 to 5 things we are grateful for weekly or daily was enough. That’s cool because it basically proves that a gratitude journal is effective! Want to start now? I have a Free Gratitude Journal for you to download. How yoga can help us to cultivate gratitude: While gratitude is an innate human emotion, its cultivation sometimes requires intention and practice. Yoga can help us to cultivate gratitude in a number of ways. First, yoga can help us to focus on the present moment. This helps us to appreciate the good things in our lives. When we practice yoga, we are focused on our breath and on our body. We become aware of the present moment and the simple blessings we have, such as the fact we are breathing (yay for being alive) or standing (thanks body) or maybe we can feel the breeze on our skin or hear the sound of birds singing. Second, yoga can help us to develop compassion and empathy for ourselves and others. When we practice yoga, we are often encouraged to focus on our breath and to be mindful of our thoughts and feelings. This helps us to develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and of others. This understanding can help us to be more grateful for the people in our lives and for the opportunities that we have. Third, yoga can help us to connect with our inner selves and to find our true source of happiness. When we practice yoga, we are often encouraged to meditate and to focus on our breath. This helps us to quiet our minds and to connect with our inner selves. This connection can help us to appreciate the simple things in life and to be more grateful for our existence. How to express gratitude to others: There are many ways to express gratitude to others. Here are a few ideas: Here is an example of how you could express gratitude to someone in your life: “Dear [name],I wanted to take a moment to express how grateful I am for your friendship. I am so grateful for your kindness, support, and laughter. You always know how to make me feel better when I am down. I am also grateful for the many times you have helped me out. I remember when I was struggling with my work, you offered to help me with my presentation. You helped me to organize my thoughts and to present my ideas clearly. I am so grateful for your help. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. I am so lucky to have you in my life. With love, [Your name]” By expressing gratitude to others, we can help to create a more positive and supportive world.