The healing power of gratitude
When we lose a loved one, for example, or when we experience rejection in an important relationship, the catastrophic severity of the wound to our [...]
Learning the language of gratitude
For two people to connect effectively, they need to learn a common language and be on speaking terms. A similar dynamic applies to our mind’s [...]
Two obstacles to gratitude
When we try to cultivate gratitude, we may encounter various obstacles, with greed seeming to be the most evident candidate. The focus of gratitude and [...]
Two connections between gratitude and mental health
Nowadays, there are increasing concerns about mental health. More and more people find themselves feeling internally slowed, stymied, or even sabotaged by their own emotions, [...]
Gratitude for the ordinary
During our life, whenever we receive something special — for example, getting an unexpected job promotion or winning the lottery — we feel overjoyed. And [...]
Is gratitude a state or a trait?
Gratitude can be both, and it is best when manifested as both. Let’s see how. State: Gratitude as a state refers to the emotions of [...]
Four levels of gratitude
Gratitude can be valued and sought at four distinct levels of increasing depth A positive emotion: Focusing on the good things in our life infuses [...]
Thinking tanking thanking — moving from pessimism to optimism
At any given time in our life, we all can list several things that are wrong. And we often need to be aware of those [...]
When appreciating life’s good things doesn’t foster gratitude …
We may have heard that gratitude arises when we appreciate the good things in our life. But what if such appreciation doesn’t foster gratitude? We [...]
Why gratitude is vital for bhakti
Gratitude centers on appreciating the good things in our life. Such an attitude of gratitude is highly conducive to our emotional health; it fills us [...]
How our worldview shapes our capacity to be grateful
Many people recognize that gratitude is a quality worth cherishing, for it promotes emotional health and overall well-being. But not many people recognize that our [...]
Dissatisfaction: cause and cure
We could divide the world around us into two categories: the things we have and the things we don’t have. Whenever we see something desirable [...]
How to feel grateful when we don’t feel grateful
To cultivate gratitude, we need to expand our conception of what it is. Gratitude as an emotion: While gratitude is certainly an emotion, it is [...]
How not to cultivate gratitude
We all know the importance of cultivating gratitude. And we all have in our life at least some good things that we should feel grateful [...]
Why counting our blessings is so transformational
Why counting our blessings is so transformational - Count your blessings – this oft-repeated exhortation can seem cliched. To appreciate its potency, let’s consider two [...]
Grateful even when we don’t feel full?
Grateful even when we don’t feel full? -Even if we want to feel grateful, that feeling is often elusive. Why? Because we may feel that [...]