It is good to be thankful for the things that we have, and it is even better to establish our minds and hearts in gratitude as the state of our being.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.— 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Professor Robert A. Emmons at UC Davis agrees: “It’s important to know that gratitude can be a chosen attitude,” Emmons added. “It’s independent of life circumstance. It’s very freeing to know that, and get control over our emotional life. The bottom line is gratitude is the best approach to life. It gives you the perspective to deal with stress…to see ‘the gift in the curse’, during difficult times, and if things are going well, you can really savor it.”
We benefit greatly from our practice of gratitude. The Emmons Lab at UC Davis has done an extensive study on the relationship between gratitude and well-being. Rev. Nancy Oristaglio has included some of their findings in this lesson.
She also talks about gratitude as “the miracle ingredient” in healing and in creativity and she gives 4 ways to “unlock the fullness of your life” with gratitude each day.