Your Brain on Gratitude

Here’s something that sounds almost too simple to matter.

Pay attention to what’s good in your life.

Gratitude has become one of those words that gets tossed around so much it can start sounding like something you’d find embroidered on a pillow.

But there’s actually some interesting research behind it.

Studies have found that deliberately practicing gratitude can affect the way we think and feel. Researchers have seen changes in brain activity associated with gratitude, and regular gratitude practices have been linked with things like improved well-being and greater positive emotion.

That interests me.

But I don’t really need a brain scan to know that what I pay attention to affects my day.

We’ve all experienced the opposite.

Something irritates you first thing in the morning.

Then somebody drives like an idiot in front of you.

Then the coffee isn’t right.

Then you can’t find your keys.

Pretty soon the entire world is apparently conspiring against you. 😄

Did the world suddenly get worse?

Probably not.

You got very good at noticing what was wrong with it.

I think the reverse can happen too.

You notice the sun coming through the window.

The dog does something ridiculous.

Peggy laughs.

Your body feels good when you get out of bed.

Somebody says something kind.

You have a really good cup of coffee.

None of those things changes everything that’s difficult in your life.

That’s important.

Gratitude isn’t pretending everything is wonderful.

Peggy and I certainly weren’t grateful that she got cancer.

But even during that experience there were people we were enormously grateful for. Nurses. Friends. Family. Students. Each other.

Both things could be true at the same time.

Something could be hard and there could still be something good sitting right beside it.

Maybe that’s what I like about gratitude.

It doesn’t require you to manufacture happiness.

It just asks you to notice.

So try that today.

Not the big obvious stuff.

Find one small thing that made your day a little better.

Then actually give it a moment before you rush on to whatever comes next.

You might be surprised how much good stuff you’ve been walking right past.