“The word gratitude comes from the Latin root gratus, meaning “pleasing; welcome; agreeable.” Gratus is also the root of related terms such as grace, gratuity and gratis, all signifying positive moods, actions and ideas” (Source).
A Brief History of Thankfulness and Gratitude:
Whether at home during our childhood, at school as we learn and grow, within our religions, our clubs, our traditions, our associations, our teams, our Tribes, our cultures, out on the streets, in churches, and even at work, and in adult personal relationships; we learn about Gratefulness and Thankfulness and the many values of such.
Further, the practices of Gratitude and Thankfulness go back possibly 3,200 years or more among Humans. For example: In the Torah, the Hebrew Bible which largely forms the Old Testament of the "Bible" one will find the concept of Gratefulness. Also, the Buddhist Tradition includes forms of Gratitude and Thankfulness going back 3,500 years. And per one interpretation of Islam for Muslims, "God mentions
thankfulness even before belief in Him." In Islam, dating back about 1,300 years, "The Concept of Gratefulness in Islam, as one author explains: "one of our foremost
duties is to be grateful to God for all of His blessings. We can describe three
levels of thankfulness: To realize and appreciate all blessings
by and within the heart. To say thanks with the tongue. and To express gratitude by doing righteous
deeds” (Source).
Regardless of one's Religious beliefs; it seems that the Tradition of Human Thankfulness and Gratitude dates back at least 3,500 years and probably much further among various Indigenous Tribes throughout the World including the Navajo and even the Celtic. Hence, it is logical to assume that there must be some benefits for Humans in realizing and expressing their thoughts and feelings around Thankfulness and Gratefulness.
In other words, if Humans have been Thankful and/or Grateful for thousands of years, it is quite possibly a good thing, and an important thing to learn about as we mature.
What good does it do for us to feel Thankful? How does Gratefulness help us?
It also seems that if we are spending more time and energy expressing our Thankfulness or our Gratitude, then we are spending less time expressing resentment, bitterness or hatred.
Which type of person would you rather spend your time with:
A person who is frequently feeling Angry or Bitter, and acting Resentful and/or Hateful; or a person who is frequently feeling Thankful or Grateful and acting Humble and/or Appreciative?
Finally, Which type of person would you rather be: Thankful and Grateful -- even for the little things in life; Or Ungrateful?
As for the Evolution of Gratitude:
Psychologist Malinia Suchak of the Greater Good Science Center suggests:
“Plenty of research shows the benefit of saying thank you, as well as of other expressions of gratitude. Gratitude is one of the fundamentally important parts of human life, and comparative psychologists like myself are always interested in where these things come from, in the grand scheme of things. How did we as humans end up as a species for whom gratitude is as much a part of our social relationships as gossip?
It turns out this question is centuries old, with Darwin himself suggesting that humans and other animals share the “same emotions, even the more complex ones such as jealousy, suspicion, emulation, gratitude, and magnanimity.” And—at least for gratitude—some initial research by my colleagues and I suggests that Darwin might be right” (https://gratefulness.org/resource/the-evolution-of-gratitude/).”
Is Being Thankful and/or Grateful Good For You?
It seems logical to assume that being Thankful and being Grateful for the good things in life and in relationships is good for us in a number of ways.
In the field of Positive Psychology, there has already been a good bit of research done on the benefits of Gratitude:
"Research shows that gratitude can:
- Gratitude can Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher wellbeing and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Enhance empathy and reduces aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better. (Better sleep to a clearer mind..).
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude can Increase mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations. (Morin, 2014). (https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/)."
- <<<_____>>>
According to Chowdhury, (2020), "The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How it Affects Anxiety and Grief"; "In its simplest form, gratitude refers to a ‘state of thankfulness’ or a ‘state of being grateful’."
Chowdhury (2020) also reports that:
- "Gratitude impacts on mental and physical well-being. Positive psychology and mental health researchers in the past few decades have established an overwhelming connection between gratitude and good health. Keeping a gratitude journal causes less stress, improves the quality of sleep, and builds emotional awareness (Seligman, Steen, Park and Peterson, 2005).
- <<<_____>>>
- Further, Chowdhury explains that: "In positive psychology, gratitude is the human way of acknowledging the good things of life. Psychologists have defined gratitude as a positive emotional response that we perceive on giving or receiving a benefit from someone (Emmons & McCullough, 2004)."
- <<<_____>>>
- Gratitude is positively correlated to more vitality, energy, and enthusiasm to work harder." Chowdhury wrote that: "Thanking others, thanking ourselves, Mother Nature, or the Almighty – gratitude in any form can enlighten the mind and make us feel happier. It has a healing effect on us. (Russell and Fosha, 2008). (Chowdury, 2020)"
- <<<_____>>>
- Chowdhury also explains:
- "There are different types of benefits one gets from being Grateful. For example, one gets Psychological Benefits for "A Happier You", Physical Benefits for "A Fitter You", and Social benefits for "A Better You".
- <<<_____>>>
- In a Neuro-scientific way, Gratitude reportedly helps neurotransmitters to produce substances that help improve one's mental health.
- <<<_____>>>
- That "Gratitude Brings Happiness." Further, Gratitude "Improves Interpersonal Relationships".
- <<<_____>>>
- "Gratitude can improve Relationships: "Couple studies have also indicated that partners who expressed their thankfulness to each other often, could sustain their relationships with mutual trust, loyalty, and had long-lasting happy relationships."
- <<<_____>>>
- "Gratitude helps promote Optimism, Selflessness, Spirituality, Empathy and Self-Esteem. In turn, these sensations may lead one toward True Happiness." (Chowdhury, 2020)
- <<<_____>>>
The Gratitude Journal Exercise:
Below is a Gratitude Journal model offered by TherapistAide.com (2015) that has been adapted for Prevention of Domestic Violence:
Title: "Why I’m Grateful" (Complete the sentence of 3 or more of these...):
- I am grateful for my Life because... _______________ ...
- I am grateful for the Life of my Partner because... _______________ ...
- I am grateful for my family and my children because... _______________ ...
- Something good that my Partner and I shared this week was... _______________ ...
- I am grateful for my work because... _______________ ...
- Something silly that I am grateful for... _______________ ...
- Something else that I am grateful for … _______________ ...
Think about it: How might taking a moment to think about questions related to our Thankfulness or our Gratefulness such as those above be good for us and for our interpersonal relationships? What might be some benefits of this to us?
- It's Easy to do. And it's FREE Too!
- It Only takes a few minutes per week, perhaps...
- It Might help me develop a Better Attitude.
- This could help us build stronger bonds.
- Could give me Better Understanding of a lot of things.
- Gratefulness helps me let go of Negative Emotions.
- It might improve my Health.
- Just being able to Appreciate what I have around me can be a blessing in and of itself. What I actually have could be a blessing too especially once I realize it.
- It could help me feel better about myself.
- It Might make me seem like I am a nicer person if I am Grateful. I might seem to be Thankful too.
- Gratefulness Helps in New Relationships; and in More Mature Relationships alike.
- Provides us with New more Positive things to Discuss with Our Loved Ones and with Strangers too.
- Doing so regularly Could Help me Build More Confidence in Myself.
- It Might even help me to Express More Gratitude to my Partner over time. My Gratefulness could help my Partner feel better about herself or himself also help them feel more positive about our relationship.
- It May help me to feel less resentment and less anger about the negative things in my life and in my past.
- Gratefulness quite possibly Helps me to be more energetic and more positive at my Work -- It might help me perform better as well.
- Gratitude might make me a Better Person.
Discussion Question:
For example, It stands to reason that if we are more aware of the things in a Relationship and in Life that we can be Grateful for or Thankful for; that we would then perhaps be at least a little more humble in our relationships; and that some degree of humbleness or humility can possibly help lead us to being better Partners in Relationships; hence we could have Happier and Healthier Relationships.
What are some other possible ways that Gratitude or Thankfulness might help us to have Healthier and Happier Relationships?
Always remember to complete your Session Feedback Form after each Session.
And Remember, it is never too early to work on another Treatment Plan.
Music:
"Blue Sky" (The Allman Brothers Band).
"Good Day Sunshine" (The Beatles).
"I Want To Thank You!!!" (ZZ Top).
"How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" (Marvin Gaye).
"Tupelo Honey" (Tupelo Honey).
"Thank You." (Led Zepplin).
"Peaceful Easy Feeling" (The Eagles)
"Heard it in a Love Song" (The Marshall Tucker Band)
Sources:
(Chowdhury, M. R. (7/22/20) From: "The Neuroscience of Gratitude and how if Effects Anxiety and Grief". Retrieved for Gratitude Therapy.)
(Kandler, M. (9/6/2018). From: Retrieved 7/22/2020, from: "What is a Gratitude Journal?' Happy Feed.)
https://marytn.medium.com/the-concept-of-thankfulness-in-islam-b16e9e40332a#:~:text=Gratitude%20in%20Islam%20is%20a%20form%20of%20worship.&text=Being%20ungrateful%20to%20God%20is,most%20of%20them%20are%20ungrateful.&text=And%20be%20grateful%20for%20the,is%20He%20Whom%20you%20worship.
(Morin, 2014). (https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/).
(TherapistAid.com, 2015)
(TherapistAid.com, 2015)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisromero/2017/11/22/gratitude-the-ultimate-spiritual-practice-a-thanksgiving-special/?sh=15a9c2222706
(c. 2021, All information on the Blog (Except where otherwise noted); are the intellectual and/or photographic and/or digital property of Dr. William T. Beverly, L.C.S.W., DVOMB Approved Offender Treatment Provider.)
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