The Attitude of Gratitude

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“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.” Henry Ward Beecher (abolitionist and 19th century Christian minister)

by Tom Reilly

Practicing gratitude is like winning the trifecta. It improves physical and mental well-being, nourishes relationships, and plows fertile ground for spiritual renewal.

Gratitude is the awareness and thankfulness for what gives meaning to our lives or for what we value if life. It is the affirmation and appreciation of the goodness we encounter as sojourners through this world. For some people, it is a spontaneous feeling, an emotional response to a fortunate experience. For others, gratitude is a dispositional trait—part of their psychological makeup. They begin with an attitude of gratitude and stumble across fortune as part of a self-fulfilling prophecy. For another group, gratitude is a spiritual experience, a virtue which springs from the soul. This group of people lives in a world of awe that surrounds them.

There are 116,000,000 references to “research on gratitude” on Google. Gratitude appears 157 times in the Bible. There are 40,000 results for gratitude on Amazon. So, what’s up with all the interest in this topic? It must be the benefits.

A growing body of research is demonstrating the multiple physical and psychological benefits of this positive emotion and practice. Multiple studies have demonstrated the physical advantages of feeling gratitude: reduced blood pressure, lowered glucose levels, reduced stress inflammation of organs, improved cardiac outcomes, immune system protection, enhanced sleep patterns, and healthier lifestyle choices. Psychological benefits include reduced risks of depression, the buffering of negative and toxic emotions, increased happiness, joy, and satisfaction, resilience, management of PTSD symptoms especially in Vietnam Vets, and increased satisfaction with life.

Gratitude nurtures and enhances relationships. Grateful people engage in more prosocial behaviors. They reach out to help others. Grateful people are more accepting, understanding, and compassionate. All of these build trust, which is the currency of great relationships. Gratitude strengthens the ties that bind. It is one of the most attractive qualities we own—low cost, high payoff.

In addition to physical and mental well-being and the fostering of better relationships, gratitude is fertile ground for spiritual growth, the third win in the trifecta. Gratitude is foundational for the development of others virtues like humility, patience, and wisdom. The spirit of gratitude reduces our need for material gain as we stand in awe of the ineffable wonder that surrounds us. To hear the choir of birds sing, as God’s breath blows through the trees, while the light of the sun warms us is a true spiritual experience. What more do we need?

Fortunately, we can adopt this practice if it’s not in our nature.

  • A gratitude journal, completed weekly is a welcome relief from the hedonistic appetites of modern culture. This twenty-minute reflection infuses us with a much-needed antidote to wants and desires.
  • Daily gratitude prayers remind us of God’s bountiful and ubiquitous blessings.
  • Opportunities to serve others abound in a world centered on self-gratification.
  • Developing a spiritual awareness for the awe in which we live humbles us. Celebrating this special moment is available to us 24-7 as we increase our situational awareness of our blessings.
  • The eye of the storm grants us momentary relief from the forces that may sweep us off our feet. For example, when we fall ill, we pray in gratitude for access to a healthcare system that cares for us.
  • Gratitude is a sentry that guards us against attitude thieves like envy, resentment, and cynicism whose only purpose is to steal our joy.

Mindfulness is intentional focusing. We select the object of our mindfulness and invest our whole self in it. Since it’s impossible to concentrate on the negative of an idea, feeling gratitude naturally crowds out the ingratitude that pollutes our minds and bodies. Gratitude begets gratitude. Like many body functions, the more of it we do, the more our body learns to do it. Gratitude creates changes in the pre-frontal cortex of our brains, which modulates negativism and facilitates more gratitude in the future. After all, who doesn’t like a good shot of dopamine and serotonin? Gratitude is self-reinforcing, and that is something to be grateful for. As the psalmist says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” (Ps 118:24)

Tom Reilly is the author of Hope In The Shadows Of War.

Author: Tom

Business owner, professional speaker, author, and salesman . . . Since 1981, Tom has traveled globally sharing his content-rich message of hope. Tom literally wrote the book on Value-Added Selling. Tom has a B.A. in Psychology from St. Louis University and an M.A. in Psychology from University of Missouri in St. Louis with a special emphasis in work motivation theory. He spent four years in the United States Army where he honed his leadership skills as a Drill Sergeant. Tom is a prolific writer and researcher. He is a recipient of the Northeast Business Editors Silver Award; author of fifteen books; and editorial contributor to several magazines. Tom is an avid golfer, Harley-Davidson rider, and fountain pen collector. Please click here for Tom’s complete bio.

2 thoughts on “The Attitude of Gratitude”

  1. Thank you so much for this, Tom! I strive for being grateful, every day that I live and breathe! I have made a commitment, to myself, that this is my year for finding, and holding onto, peace. Peace in my heart, my soul, my life, my job, my marriage, and, maybe, my family (sibling).
    One of the true joys of running, for me, is that I can soak up everything good in the world, and thank Him for allowing me the ability to get out and make it my church.

    I am going to continue reading your blogs. This is more than inspiring.

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