What is Gratefulness and how to introduce it into your life?
Gratefulness is the conscious recognition of value—value in people, experiences, moments, and even challenges. It’s not the same as simply being thankful. Thankfulness is often a reaction to something good happening. Gratefulness, on the other hand, is a state of being, a mindset that sees life not through the lens of scarcity, but of enough-ness.
It’s saying: “This is not perfect, but there is something here that matters. Something worth noticing. Something I’m glad exists.”
In therapy, I often describe gratefulness as a willingness to be open to the good that is present, even if it’s small, quiet, or imperfect.
Why Gratefulness Matters in Mental Health
Gratefulness can sound like a luxury emotion—something we access when life is going well. But the truth is, it’s most powerful when life is not going well.
People dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma are not told to simply “be grateful” for what they have. That would be dismissive. In therapy, we gently explore how even in difficulty, there may be small, grounding moments of meaning—someone who showed up, a sunrise, a quiet cup of tea, a breath.
Gratefulness does not deny pain. It coexists with it.
Research consistently shows that a regular gratitude practice can:
- Improve mood and emotional regulation
- Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Increase resilience
- Enhance relationships and empathy
- Improve physical health through better sleep and reduced stress
In many ways, gratefulness brings us back to ourselves—to the present, to our values, to what really matters.
A small act of thinking about what you are grateful for helps you turn your attention to the things you miss when you might be consumed with negative thoughts and feelings.
Taking a moment to notice the good things that happen in your life connects you with more positive feelings. These feelings can help you feel less stuck and function again.
How to start introducing a gratefulness into your life is easy:
- Each day ask yourself 3 things you are grateful for.
- Start a gratefulness journal.
- Create a habit of doing it with your family around the table or your partner.
- Take a quiet moment every so often to stop and think what you might have missed.
A little butterfly can be your medicine if you allow it to be.
