In my personal life and career, I have learned the hard way that without showing gratitude for what you have, you end up unhappy and depressed. I first learned that lesson back in 2002, when I was working on Close Protection Assignments in Mexico. There were a lot of these four bad factors: stress, danger, corruption, and temptations… In short, I had more than my fill of all four of those; nothing to be proud of! In retrospect, if I had practiced gratitude then as I do today, my life would have taken a different turn and lots of pain could have been avoided.
It was a warm afternoon, and a gentle wind was coming down from the mountains and causing small stirs in the dust by the corners of the pyramids. I was sitting on the top of the main pyramid at Cantona, enjoying the view and the last warmth of the setting sun. Suddenly, a deep longing for happiness and the love of life came upon me, and I felt so much gratitude for what I had in life. I sat there alone for an hour and just basked in all the joys I had in my life and how much I had to be grateful for. That day, gratitude made me change my life and career.
Now, this is not just going to be a post where I am stuck in the past and preaching my own solution to my personal problems 
Actually, modern research has shown that gratitude interventions, such as keeping a gratitude journal or writing letters of gratitude, can have a positive effect on mental health:
Research on gratitude
- A study by Froh, Sefick, and Emmons (2008) found that participants who practiced gratitude by writing a letter of gratitude or listing things they were grateful for on a weekly basis experienced improved mood and greater life satisfaction compared to control groups.
- Another study by Watkins, Woodward, Stone, and Kolts (2003) found that participants who kept a gratitude journal on a weekly basis experienced improved mood and greater life satisfaction compared to control groups.
- A third study by Algoe and Haidt (2009) found that participants who practiced gratitude by writing about things they were grateful for on a weekly basis experienced improvements in mood and overall well-being.
A meta-analysis by Nielsen and Algoe (2014) that included 13 studies found that gratitude interventions were associated with a significant increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect.
In summary, these studies suggest that gratitude interventions can have a positive effect on mental health by improving mood and overall well-being. However, it’s worth noting that these studies were conducted with small samples, so further research with larger and more diverse samples is needed to confirm these findings.
Practicing gratitude
Gratitude is the act of being thankful and appreciative of the things and people we have in our lives. It is a powerful tool for cultivating happiness and well-being. When we practice gratitude, we shift our focus from what we lack to what we have, which can help to reduce feelings of stress and dissatisfaction; just like it did for me back in Mexico. It totally changed my perspective and actions in one empowering hour.
Research has shown that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis are happier, more resilient, and have better relationships. They also report feeling more satisfied with their lives, being less likely to be depressed, and having better physical health. So, how come we don’t practice gratitude on a daily basis?
Practicing gratitude can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to reflect on the things that you are grateful for. This could be done by writing a gratitude journal, where you list things you are thankful for each day, or by sharing your gratitude with others. Another way is to simply take a moment to reflect on the things you are grateful for before going to sleep at night. A simple meditation with some deep diaphragmatic breathing followed by silent contemplation on what you have to be grateful for can significantly improve your mental and physical health.
Expressing gratitude to others is also an important aspect of the practice. Telling someone you appreciate them and what they do for you can strengthen relationships and create positive feelings for both the giver and receiver.
Gratitude can also be practiced in the form of acts of kindness, such as volunteering or donating to charity. Giving back to others can help to put things into perspective and remind us of all that we have to be grateful for.
Conclusion
Incorporating gratitude into our daily lives can be a simple yet powerful way to enhance our well-being and improve our overall happiness. It reminds us to focus on the positive aspects of our lives and to appreciate the blessings we have. It can also lead to building stronger relationships, improved physical health, and a better sense of purpose.
I can in all honesty say that it has done wonders for me and truly impacted my life for the better! For more on the subject of gratitude, see my TikTok video by Clicking Here!
For further knowledge and insights into the proven benefits of gratitude, I suggest you read the following research:
- Gratitude and Well-Being: A Review and Theoretical Integration” by Robert A. Emmons, Michael E. McCullough (2003) – This paper provides an overview of the theoretical and empirical literature on gratitude and well-being, and suggests that gratitude may be a key mechanism through which positive social interactions influence well-being.
- Expressing gratitude to a partner leads to more relationship maintenance behavior” by Giacomo Bono, Michael E. McCullough (2008) – This paper examines the link between gratitude and relationship maintenance behavior, and suggests that expressing gratitude to a partner can lead to more positive relationship outcomes.
- Gratitude in Children and Adolescents: Development, assessment, and school-based interventions” by Robert A. Emmons, Anjali Mishra (2011) – This paper reviews the literature on gratitude in children and adolescents, and suggests that gratitude can be a positive force in the development of children, and that interventions to promote gratitude may be beneficial for students.
