• Underuse: Rugged Individualism
• Overuse: Ingratiation

Key Research:

• Rank order of Gratitude in populations from:
  • US : 6;
  • Europea:  15
  • Asia: 4
  • Latin America: 6
  • Sub-Saharan Africa: 3
  • Middle east: 5
• Study showed effectiveness of interventions on signature strengths and on gratitude for boosting happiness and decreasing depression, relative to a control group (Senf & Liau, 2013).
• Study showed effectiveness of interventions on signature strengths and on gratitude for boosting happiness and decreasing depression, relative to a control group (Senf & Liau, 2013).
• In a study of primary school students and a study of secondary school students, several character strengths were associated with positive classroom behavior (e.g., perseverance, social intelligence, prudence, hope, self-regulation) and school achievement (e.g., love of learning, perseverance, zest, perspective, gratitude, hope) (Wagner & Ruch, 2015).
• The character strengths – perseverance, love, gratitude, and hope – predict academic achievement in middle school students and college students (reported in Park & Peterson, 2009a).
• After controlling for IQ, strengths of perseverance, fairness, gratitude, honesty, hope, and perspective predicted GPA (Park & Peterson, 2008a).
• The character strengths most associated with the meaning route to happiness are religiousness, gratitude, hope, zest, and curiosity (Peterson et al., 2007).
• In addition to replication of the connection between hope, gratitude, love, zest, and curiosity with life satisfaction, the strengths that were the best predictors of future life satisfaction were hope and spirituality (Proyer et al., 2011).
• Across occupations, curiosity, zest, hope, gratitude, and spirituality are the Big 5 strengths associated with work satisfaction (Peterson et al., 2010).
• Arjun Walia does a wonderful job summarising what happens to us during gratitude in Scientists Show How Gratitude Literally Alters The Human Heart & Molecular Structure Of The Brain

Psychological Impacts of gratitude:

1. Gratitude is linked to increased happiness: Research has shown that individuals who practice gratitude tend to experience increased happiness and well-being (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
2. Gratitude is associated with better sleep: Studies have found that individuals who practice gratitude before bed tend to have better sleep quality and duration (Wood et al., 2008).
3. Gratitude is linked to increased resilience: Gratitude has been shown to be a key factor in building resilience, as it helps individuals focus on the positive aspects of their lives and build a sense of hope (Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004).
4. Gratitude is a key component of emotional intelligence: Gratitude is considered a key component of emotional intelligence, as it involves recognizing and appreciating the good things in life (Goleman, 1995).
5. Gratitude is linked to reduced stress: Research has shown that gratitude is negatively correlated with stress, as it helps individuals focus on the positive aspects of their lives and reduce negative emotions (Kabat-Zinn, 2003).
6. Gratitude is developed through social learning: Gratitude is developed through social learning, particularly through observing and imitating others who exhibit grateful behavior (Bandura, 1977).
7. Gratitude is linked to increased social connections: Studies have found that individuals who practice gratitude tend to have stronger social connections and more positive relationships (Algoe & Wood, 2009).
8. Gratitude is a key factor in physical health: Gratitude has been shown to be linked to better physical health, including lower blood pressure, stronger immune systems, and reduced chronic pain (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
9. Gratitude is associated with increased self-esteem: Research has found that individuals who practice gratitude tend to have higher self-esteem and a more positive self-image (Kashdan & Ciarrochi, 2013).
10. Gratitude is a key component of moral character: Gratitude is considered a key component of moral character, along with other character strengths such as compassion, honesty, and responsibility (VIA Institute, 2015).

Tayyab Rashid and Afroze Anjum offer 340 Ways to Use VIA Character Strengths including these four for Gratitude:

1. Consider how this statement describes your usual mental state: A still mind sees what is good and present. An anxious mind sees what is negative and missing. Still your mind for five minutes in the morning and in the evening.
2. Count three of your blessings (good things that happened to you) before going to bed every day. Write them down in a bedside journal for when you feel down or blue.
3. Express your gratitude to someone whom you haven’t told before, preferably through a personal visit. Observe how your expression of gratitude makes both of you feel.
4. Write three apprehensions that you feel when you wake every morning. Before you go to bed, write three good things that happened to you and why. Then evaluate your apprehensions in light of the good things.

You’ll find his journaling tips here on the inspiring site gratefulness.org.

• A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life by John Kralik 

• Gratitude: Increase Happiness with the Simple Act of Giving Thanks by Joanne Hillyer 

• Bring Gratitude: Feel Joyful Again With Bite-Sized Mindset Practices by Karl Staib

• The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan 

• Thanks! A Companion to Gratitude” by Dr. Alex Wood Written by a leading researcher in the field of gratitude, this book explores the science behind gratitude and provides practical exercises for cultivating a grateful mindset.
• “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are” by Ann Voskamp A memoir and self-help book, this work encourages readers to find gratitude in everyday moments and experiences, even in the midst of struggles.
• “The Little Book of Gratitude” by Dr. Robert A. Emmons A concise and accessible guide to the benefits and practice of gratitude, written by a pioneering researcher in the field of positive psychology.
• “Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity” by Robert A. Emmons This book provides a structured 21-day program for developing a gratitude practice and incorporating it into daily life.
• “The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life” by Janice Kaplan A journalist’s memoir and self-help book, this work chronicles the author’s year-long experiment with practicing gratitude and the positive impact it had on her life.

Author AJ Jacobs embarked on a quest with a deceptively simple idea at its heart: to personally thank every person who helped make his morning cup of coffee. More than one thousand “thank yous” later, Jacobs reflects on the globe-trotting journey that ensued — and shares the life-altering wisdom he picked up along the way. “I discovered that my coffee would not be possible without hundreds of people I take for granted,” Jacobs says.

Podcasts to feed your Gratitude