Decades of Research Highlights the Surprising Benefits of Gratitude

We can learn gratitude from our parents, friends, culture, or religion. But gratitude is also baked into our DNA.

Gratitude isn't only for humans. Fish, birds, vampire bats, and other species like to help each other in hopes of recieving the same kindness in the future.

Studies show that feeling gratitude activates areas of the brain involved with feeling rewarded, forming social bonds, thinking perspectively, and detecting morality.

Scientists also found that people who often practice gratefulness have more connections in their brain that make them altruistic - to have a selfless desire to help others.

Gratitude is like a happy pill, but without the pill. It helps us appreciate and enjoy life experiences, and fight the negative emotions that lead to unhappiness, burnout, and other psychological disorders, like depression.

And when we feel gratitude, we feel better about ourselves because we feel loved and valued.

Our relationships grow when we feel gratitude, because it's easier to share goals with others, we're more open to listening, we forgive more freely, and, generally, we're more chilled out.

Feeling gratitude only takes a few seconds. Here are a couple of ways to get started: Think of 3 to 5 things you're grateful for. Write them down or share it with a friend. Write and send a "Thank you" letter or email to someone that's made you feel especially loved.

More to read in the Journal of Leksi.