Gratitude: An Investment with Great Returns
An Ideal Investment
As a financial adviser, I often encounter people who are seeking an ideal investment - something low cost with significant upside and minimal downside risk. Given the efficiency of the financial markets, this is a near-impossible pipe dream. However, there are other kinds of “investments” where this mindset does apply. And, an investment in Gratitude and Thanksgiving is a good one.
With the holiday season, there is often increased anxiety and stress, yet it is a time when we are encouraged to be thankful. Research around gratitude and thankfulness abounds, with well-documented positive responses. According to Cicero, gratitude is more than “the greatest virtue,” it is also “the mother of all other remaining virtues.” So clearly, the importance of gratitude is not a new phenomenon, but sometimes we need a reminder as for most of us, this is not our natural response.
Counting Blessings Versus Burdens
Harvard Medical School published an article entitled “In Praise of Gratitude” highlighting some research on the individual and societal benefits of gratitude. One study they cite is entitled “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens.” In this research, two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California - Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, examined the effect that a grateful outlook had on psychological and physical well-being. They asked three groups of participants to reflect on their weeks in written records, each group with a different focus for their writing:
One group wrote about what had happened that they were grateful for,
The second wrote about what had frustrated or upset them that day,
And the third simply described things that had occurred, without a specific focus on positive or negative events.
After 10 weeks of this exercise, Dr. Emmons and Dr. McCullough found that those who wrote about gratitude were found to be more optimistic and to be generally feeling better about their lives. Surprisingly, this group also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who had spent ten weeks focusing on sources of aggravation.
Gratitude: All Upside
The research is fascinating and encouraging. If we can develop a heart of gratitude, we might just find ourselves more optimistic, enjoying better health, having more meaningful communications, building stronger relationships, encouraging more productivity, finding more job satisfaction, and the list goes on! In fact, there does not appear to be any research to suggest that being thankful is harmful in any way. It is rare to find an “investment” like this – all upside and no downside!If it is such a guaranteed investment, why doesn’t everyone go after it? Lasting gratitude is a discipline to be developed. The various researchers suggest:
Say thank you, wherever and whenever you can.
Every Sunday, write down 10 things you are thankful for (or keep a gratitude journal).
Every week, reach out to 2 people and thank them for what they mean to you
Tremendousness summarized Dr. Emmons and McCullough’s research with this video: “The Gratitude Experiment”, which includes methods for you to develop an attitude of gratitude.
THANK YOU for reading!
