Research has found that expressing gratitude makes you feel more positive and happier about life. Gratitude is an appreciation of the good things in life, and the realisation that often, good things come from other people who help you and are there for you. You are connected to many people who have a positive influence on your life.
Gratitude research
Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that looks at ways people become happier. In a 2011 study, researchers from the University of California and the University of Miami created three groups. One group was asked to write a daily journal detailing what they were grateful for each day. The second group wrote about things that annoyed and irritated them. The third group were asked to write about things that had happened to them each day, but there was no emphasis on the positive or negative.
After 10 weeks of daily writing, the group that had written about positive matters for felt more optimistic than the other two groups. Their health was better, and they had fewer visits to the doctor than the less positive groups.
Other studies on gratitude have found a correlation between expressing gratitude and wellbeing. Gratitude has been shown to positively affect relationships, and grateful employees are more motivated and productive.
How to express gratitude
There are many ways to express gratitude. Write a thank-you note that expresses your enjoyment and appreciation of someone, for example. Why not keep a gratitude journal where you write down everything or everyone you encounter each day that you are grateful for?
Others may find prayer or meditation helpful. In one practice, the meditator focuses on gratitude, starting with an appreciation of themselves, their health, their positive qualities. The gratitude focus widens to an appreciation of their family and friends, then their neighbours and their community. Gratitude, according to disciples of this practice, then encompasses the whole world and the universe.
Tangible gratitude
You may want to express gratitude in a tangible way by giving a gift. Engraved glassware is ideal for a gratitude gift. The words engraved on the glass express heartfelt feelings. Include the recipient’s name in the engraving to personalise the present.
Engraved glass gifts can be useful items like drinkware, vases and bowls, or can be more symbolic in the form of trophies and awards. For example, give a “best mum in the world award” or a “thank you for being there for me” trophy.
Everyone feels good
The great thing about a gratitude gift is that it makes everyone feel good. When you give engraved glassware in a presentation box, it makes you feel good as well as the person you give it to. It is a shared experience of positive emotions.
The next time you want to express gratitude towards someone, choose an engraved glass gift that has words that make you and them feel good and grateful for your relationship.
In these strange times, we are all in need of a pick-me-up. Now, more than ever is the time to raise your spirits by expressing gratitude for the positives in your life.
