Gratitude is more than just “nice”
The scenery in Vermont always fills me with joy and wonder, and I am constantly grateful to have landed in this beautiful state. I want to talk about the power of gratitude, but not just gratitude about what we have. Specifically, I want to talk about the neurological and performance impacts of interpersonal appreciations.
Research on areas where citizens live long happy lives consistently ranks gratitude – giving and receiving – as a contributing factors. But it turns out that being thankful and being thanked don’t just make you feel better and live longer. In fact, multiple studies document gratitude as a factor in improved individual job performance, better team functioning, and enhanced employee reactions in a crisis.
There are simple daily steps you can take to reap the benefits of gratitude:
- Be conscious of the goodness around you, and name it – to yourself and others. Go further, and
- Tell someone when you appreciate what they’ve done. Be as specific as possible.
- And when others thank you, wallow in it. Accept their thanks, and let it seep in.
Giving and receiving thanks feel good and also improve your performance. We can all be grateful for that!
Who can you express gratitude to today? Go tell them. ❤️