Friday, April 16, 2010

Being grateful is good for you

I wrote on this blog last week, April 7, 2010, about the spiritual practice of gratitude lists. I've been doing mine and finding positive benefits already. How's it going for you?

Any way, here's an interesting report of some research on this area for expressing research. The big news today is that it not only is beneficial to the recipient of the thanks, but it is beneficial to the bestower of the thanks as well.

From Healthfinder.gov

SUNDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- For those feeling dissatisfied with a friend or partner, saying "thank you" may improve your attitude about the relationship, new study findings suggest.

It turns out that expressed gratitude isn't just good for the recipient. It strengthens the relationship by causing the person expressing thanks to feel more responsible for their partner's welfare.

While previous research on gratitude has found that expressions of thanks strengthen a relationship by increasing satisfaction with it, the new research, published online recently in Psychological Science, looked at the effect of expressed gratitude on what psychologists call "communal strength" -- the degree of responsibility one partner or friend feels for another.


When you reflect on the negative tone of much of our media these days from Jerry Springer to hate talk radio to the mocking bitter tone of negative campaign ads, is it any wonder that Americans, as a nation, are one of the unhappy nations in the first world?

I think it would great to hear what all the pundits and critics are happy about, and grateful for. But forget them. What about you?

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