Gratitude-Minded
Gratitude is a positive emotion that recognizes that some things are going well and that other people have brought benefits to your life.
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 26 studies on the relationship between gratitude and loneliness. There were nearly 10,000 participants from around the world. They discovered that if a person scored above average in gratitude, there was a 62% chance they were below average in loneliness. They also learned that grateful people are more psychologically flexible, allowing them to be open to new people, experiences, and ideas.
Gratitude increases optimism, which reduces the stress hormone cortisol, improves immune response, and reduces insomnia. Gratitude may improve your relationships by helping you dwell on the positive. Gratitude may help you sleep by concentrating focus on the positive aspects of life, especially in the hours before bedtime. In a meta-analysis of over 100 studies, people who practice daily gratitude:
Feel more alert, energetic, enthusiastic, and optimistic;
Sleep better;
Have lower blood pressure; and
Live an average of 7 to 9 years longer than people who don’t practice gratitude.
Takeaway: Gratitude-minded people tend to be less lonely, more stress-resilient, and more optimistic, likely because they are more tuned in to the good things in life. You do not have to write down what you are grateful for to get the benefits from a Gratitude Practice. Reflections are sufficient. Place a Post-It Note Gratitude Reminder on your bathroom mirror, nightstand, refrigerator, or steering wheel to remind you to practice gratitude. Practices to help you become more gratitude-minded include:
Morning Reflections
Ask how can I enjoy today?
List what is going well, what you are grateful for, or what opportunities you enjoy.
Review the list of the people you count on for help, mentoring, and support if you are facing an obstacle or challenge.
Afternoon or Evening Reflections
Acknowledge the sources of small sparks of joy in your day
Think about the day’s highlights
Reflect on what you like about your partner, children, or friends
Think about the things that are going well right now, and why
Practice Gratitude with Loved Ones
Talk about the best parts of your day or share your favorite moment
Play a game of Remember When to recall an endearing time together
Gratitude Activities
Carry a gratitude token, such as a smooth rock or special coin, and put it in a visible place in your office or home to remind you to practice gratitude throughout the day.
Take a gratitude walk and reflect on everything you see, hear, smell, and touch that you are grateful for.
Send a gratitude email or card to someone who helped you or made a difference in your life.
Thank people who help you.
Well-being is a journey, not a quick fix.
The Legal Brain: A Lawyer’s Guide to Well-being and Better Job Performance, is available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
Sources
James B. Hittner and Calvin D. Widholm, Meta‐analysis of the association between gratitude and loneliness - Hittner - 2024 - Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being - Wiley Online Library, May 13, 2024.
Kavitha Cardoza and Clare Marie Schneider, The Importance of Mourning Losses (Even When They Seem Small), KQED Mind/Shift, Jun 15, 2021, https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/57992/the-importance-of-mourning-losses-even-when-they-seem-small?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=MindShift%20Newsletter&mc_key=00Qi000001XVodzEAD.
Jacob Weitzer, et al., The Contribution of Dispositional Optimism to Understanding Insomnia Symptomology: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Population Study in Austria, Journal of Sleep Research, Jul 8, 2020, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsr.13132.
Linda Graham, Bouncing Back: Rewiring your Brain for Maximum Resilience and Well-being 274 (2013).
Dana McMakin, How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?, The Conversation, Aug 15, 2021, https://neurosciencenews.com/sleep-need-19124/.
Helen E. Fisher, Cupid in Quarantine: What Brain Science can Teach us about Love, New York Times, Apr 13, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/well/mind/coronavirus-relationships-love-couples-quarantine-shelter.html?action=click&module=At%20Home&pgtype=Homepage.
Mike Oppland, 13 Most Popular Gratitude Exercises and Activities, Positive Psychology.com, Jul 2, 2021, https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/.
Debra S Austin, Windmills of Your Mind: Understanding the Neurobiology of Emotion, 54 Wake Forest L. Rev. 931, 968-69 (2019), https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3374006.
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