gratitude essay for class 7

Gratitude Essay

500 words essay on gratitude.

Gratitude is a beautiful way of enriching our lives. It refers to the feeling and attitude of appreciation and thankfulness for the good which we receive in life. It has been proven scientifically that when we express our gratefulness to other people, we feel happier and calmer. Thus, it allows goodness to enter our lives. For instance, when a stranger holds the door for you or greets you, it makes you feel happy. Thus, a gratitude essay will teach us how advantageous gratitude is.

Advantages of Gratitude

Gratitude can have a lot of advantages to our personal as well as social life. First of all, it strengthens our relationship with others. When you have a thankful feeling, it will strengthen the bond with the other party and enhance the trust factor and feeling of respect and love .

Moreover, it also makes us happy. When we express gratitude or receive it, we feel happy either way. As a result, people who have gratitude do not stress out a lot. Similarly, being full of gratitude makes society sensible.

In other words, people become considerate and never leave a chance to say thank you to others. Thus, it helps society to progress in the right direction with the right tools needed for the development of it.

Most importantly, gratitude reduces comparisons and promotes acknowledgement. When we become thankful, we do not compare ourselves to others. Thus, it helps us acknowledge our own achievements and blessings and remain content.

How to Practice Gratitude

There are a lot of ways through which we can practice gratitude. Some of the most effective ones include making a note of every good thing which happens to us every day. Moreover, also note the people behind it.

This will help you to return the favour at an appropriate time. Never forget to return this favour as they deserve it too. Moreover, always make sure to appreciate everything in life ranging from nature to animals .

We are lucky enough to have animals, green plants, fresh air and much more. Thus, never stop acknowledging the importance of these essential things. Moreover, always remember to say thank you to different community helpers.

It can be anyone, whether your gardener or sweeper or even the police officers. Make sure you thank them for their service whenever it is possible for you. Remember that to wake up every day is no less than a blessing itself.

So, make sure to be grateful for a new day and thank the almighty for making you wiser and stronger with each passing day. Most importantly, try to avoid complaining about things when they don’t go your way. You don’t know about the blessing behind it.

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Conclusion of Gratitude Essay

All in all, gratitude is the most essential human expression which proves that humans are sensible and have emotions. Moreover, this emotion does not just limit to humans but also animals. Often, we see then express their gratitude and return the favour. Thus, we must always express our gratitude.

FAQ of Gratitude Essay

Question 1: Why is gratitude important?

Answer 1: Gratitude is strongly and constantly connected with greater happiness. It is what helps people feel more positive emotions, appreciate good experiences, advance their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

Question 2: How can gratitude change your life?

Answer 2: Gratitude can change your life as it makes you appreciate what you have rather than what you don’t have. It can change your life because it is the single most powerful source of inspiration that any individual can tap into if they simply stop and pay attention to the simplistic beauty and miracle of life.

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Gratitude Essay

500+ words essay on be grateful.

During difficult times, it’s easy to feel frustrated or drained by life. Negative feelings and thoughts can creep in, which can make it difficult to see the positive things in life. However, one simple practice of gratitude can help to eliminate these feelings. We take a look at the importance of being grateful through this being grateful essay. Students can also use this essay to practise more essays on similar topics like gratitude, being grateful, being grateful etc. Doing so will improve their writing section and increase their scores in the English exam.

What is Gratitude?

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. The word gratitude encompasses all of these meanings. Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation or thanks. It is defined as “a sense of thankfulness and joy in response to receiving a gift, whether the gift is a tangible benefit from a specific other or a moment of peaceful bliss evoked by natural beauty”. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives.

There are different ways of expressing one’s thanks. Gratitude is one such emotion. People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways. Some of them apply it to the past by retrieving positive memories and being thankful for elements of childhood or past blessings. Some people are grateful for the present as they do not take good fortune for granted. Some people show gratitude for the future as they hope for a better future and maintain an optimistic attitude.

Importance of Gratitude

Gratitude enhances the quality of life and makes existence more worth living. It opens the human heart and carries the urge to give back-to do something good in return, either for the person who helped us or for someone else. It establishes social harmony and creates an environment where everyone is appreciating and providing support to each other. It also improves the quality of personal lives and strengthens the bond with family and friends. Expressing gratitude keeps us happy, healthy and stress-free.

Feeling grateful reminds people of a joyous event, and expressing gratitude to others often strengthens relationships. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. When we are grateful for others, we do not compare ourselves with others based on their financial situation or other factors, we simply appreciate their achievements. Thus, it helps in elevating the feeling of comparison, jealousy and hate. Being grateful also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals — whether to other people, nature, or supreme power.

How to Practise Gratitude

Everyone can benefit from making an effort to practise gratitude in day-to-day life. It can be achieved simply by paying attention to the good things that happen to us. We must appreciate and accept the importance of everything in nature and our surroundings. Also, we should not forget to return the favour at an appropriate time. Whenever possible, we should thank the people around us, who make our lives comfortable, such as washermen, gardeners, security guards, sweepers, delivery men, etc. We should make a habit of thanking God when we wake up in the morning and before sleeping at night.

Gratitude is the best way to return the favour to God, nature, society, friends and relatives for the thousands of good deeds that they do for us.

We hope students must have found this “Essay on Gratitude” useful for their studies. To access more study material and get the latest updates on CBSE/ICSE/State Board/Competitive exams, keep visiting BYJU’S. Also, download the BYJU’S App for interactive study videos.

Frequently asked Questions on Gratitude Essay

How to show gratitude towards others.

You can show gratitude by thanking people who help you and being courteous and friendly. You can iInvite people over for lunch/dinner to thank them for something they did for you. Always listen intently to what others are saying to show appreciation and care.

Why is showing gratitude so important?

Psychologists show that there is a positive impact on the brain and body of people who show gratitude.

What are the benefits of showing gratitude?

Showing gratitude helps in emotional regulation by reducing stress and burnout. It also increases your mental resilience because you are able to build meaningful relations with others.

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Essay On Gratitude – 10 Lines, Short and Long Essay

Key Points to Remember When Writing An Essay On Gratitude

What is gratitude, 10 lines essay on gratitude, a paragraph on gratitude , short essay on gratitude in english , long essay on gratitude , what will your child learn from gratitude essay , faq’s.

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on writing a gratitude essay in English. This guide is particularly useful for children and beginners who are learning the art of expressing their feelings through written words. By explaining the concept of gratitude and illustrating its importance, this essay on gratitude for kids aims to cultivate the virtue of thankfulness from a young age. Let’s embark on this journey of learning and writing about gratitude.

Before we delve deeper, it’s vital to understand the essential elements that make a compelling and touching be grateful essay. Here are some guidelines to consider:

Describe what gratitude means to you.
Narrate personal experiences or anecdotes where you felt or expressed gratitude.
Explain the importance and benefits of gratitude.
Suggest ways to practice gratitude in daily life.
Conclude by re-emphasizing the role of gratitude in personal growth and happiness.

What do you mean by gratitude? In essence, gratitude is a heartfelt appreciation or thankfulness for the kindness, benefits, or blessings that one receives. It is a positive emotion that encourages contentment, enhances well-being, and fosters resilience.

A quick introduction to writing an essay on gratitude can be beneficial, particularly for lower elementary classes. Here are ten simple lines on gratitude, which can act as a starting point for a longer essay.

1. Gratitude is appreciating and acknowledging the good things in life.

2. It helps us focus on the positives rather than the negatives.

3. Gratitude can be expressed towards people, nature, or even life itself.

4. Expressing gratitude can make others happy.

5. Practicing gratitude daily can improve our mental health.

6. It helps us develop empathy and understanding.

7. Gratitude can be shown through words, actions, or thoughts.

8. By being grateful, we become more optimistic.

9. Gratitude makes us less materialistic and more generous.

10. Gratitude is an important virtue that everyone should learn and practice.

Gratitude is not just an emotion but also a tool for positive change. To delve deeper, let’s look at a short paragraph on gratitude.

“Gratitude is the act of being thankful for the blessings in life. It is about recognizing the good in every situation, even during difficult times. When we practice gratitude, we train our minds to focus on positivity and spread love and kindness. Gratitude fosters empathy, improves relationships, and enhances overall well-being. It is an invaluable gift that costs nothing but has immeasurable benefits.”

Understanding gratitude and its importance is crucial for personal growth. Let’s elaborate further in a gratitude essay of 150 words.

“Gratitude is a powerful human emotion. By recognizing and appreciating the blessings in our lives, we affirm the goodness and positivity around us. Every individual, event, or moment that brings joy, comfort, or inspiration is a reason for gratitude. It’s not just about acknowledging good deeds but also appreciating hardships, as they are opportunities for learning and growth. Being grateful doesn’t mean ignoring problems or challenges. Instead, it’s about focusing on the good, fostering a positive outlook, and believing in the abundance of blessings. The practice of gratitude enriches our lives, enhances our relationships, boosts our mental health, and encourages empathy. It is a simple yet profound practice that has the power to transform lives.”

Now, let’s expand our understanding with a more detailed essay on be grateful in 500 words.

Gratitude, a simple yet powerful act, can significantly reshape our experiences, strengthen our relationships, and improve our overall well-being. It is a positive emotion that plays a vital role in personal growth and happiness. This essay aims to delve into the profound understanding of gratitude, its impacts on various aspects of life, and ways to incorporate it into our daily routine.

Understanding Gratitude

Gratitude is an acknowledgment of the positive things, people, and experiences that grace our lives. It is a way of expressing appreciation for the simplest to the most profound moments of happiness that life offers. This heartfelt emotion is not limited to acknowledging what we have, but also to appreciate the hurdles we overcome, lessons we learn, and the resilience we exhibit, adding an optimistic hue to life’s tapestry.

Impact of Gratitude on Relationships

Exhibiting gratitude significantly strengthens bonds in personal and professional relationships. When we appreciate others for their efforts or qualities, it fosters a sense of respect, generosity, and mutual understanding. A simple ‘thank you’ can ignite feelings of love, connection, and loyalty, reducing negativity, misunderstanding, and conflicts. This emotional investment creates stronger, happier, and healthier relationships.

Gratitude and Well-being

Gratitude is deeply intertwined with mental and emotional well-being. It is linked to increased levels of happiness, reducing feelings of envy, resentment, and frustration. By focusing on the positives, we can cope with stress, anxiety, and depression more effectively, promoting resilience and emotional stability. Moreover, gratitude also influences physical health, enhancing sleep quality, and boosting the immune system.

Practicing Gratitude

Gratitude is not a natural trait but a practice that can be cultivated over time. Keeping a gratitude journal, writing letters of appreciation, mindfully reflecting on daily positive experiences, and expressing thanks verbally are a few practices that can be incorporated into our routine. These actions enable us to intentionally recognize and appreciate the abundance that exists in our lives.

Benefits Of Gratitude

The benefits of practicing gratitude are multifaceted and significant. From enhancing emotional health and fostering stronger relationships to boosting self-esteem and resilience, gratitude positively impacts our lives. It also increases mental strength, aiding in overcoming trauma and adversities. With regular practice, gratitude can transform our perspective, encouraging us to find joy and contentment in the simplest things.

Simple Ways To Practise Gratitude

Practising gratitude is surprisingly simple and doesn’t require much time or resources. Begin the day by acknowledging one thing you’re grateful for, making it a daily ritual. Keeping a gratitude jar where you can deposit notes of appreciation also helps cultivate this habit. Gratitude walks, where you appreciate nature and your surroundings, can also infuse positivity into your day. Lastly, expressing gratitude directly to people amplifies the effect, contributing to your happiness and theirs.

An essay on gratitude provides children with an understanding of this essential virtue. They learn to appreciate the small joys of life, to value relationships, and to foster empathy. It teaches them about positivity, resilience, and kindness, shaping them into better, more compassionate individuals.

1. How Can Gratitude Help To Change Your Life?

Gratitude has the power to transform your life. By acknowledging and appreciating the good things, you can foster positivity and happiness. Gratitude also reduces stress, enhances well-being, improves relationships, and encourages personal growth.

2. How Can You Show Gratitude To Others?

Expressing gratitude can be as simple as saying ‘thank you’. You can also write appreciation letters, give compliments, return favors, or spend quality time.

To conclude, gratitude is not just an emotion but a way of life. By incorporating gratitude into our daily lives, we can foster positivity, enhance well-being, and cultivate deeper relationships. So, let’s embark on this journey of gratitude, and together, create a happier, more fulfilling world.

Also Read: Gratitude Quotes for Children

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Essay on Gratitude

Students are often asked to write an essay on Gratitude in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Gratitude

Understanding gratitude.

Gratitude is the feeling of being thankful. It is an emotion we express when we appreciate the good things in our lives. This could be anything from a kind gesture, a gift, or even the love we receive from our family and friends.

Importance of Gratitude

Gratitude is important because it helps us focus on the positive aspects of our lives. It makes us happier and more content. When we are grateful, we tend to be more positive and optimistic, which is good for our overall well-being.

Practicing Gratitude

We can practice gratitude by thanking people who help us, by appreciating the good things in our lives and by being mindful of our blessings. This can make us more positive and happier.

Also check:

10 Lines on Gratitude
Paragraph on Gratitude
Speech on Gratitude

250 Words Essay on Gratitude

The essence of gratitude.

Gratitude, a human emotion that signifies acknowledgment and appreciation, is a fundamental aspect of our lives. It is not merely a reactionary response to kindness but a proactive approach to perceive the world positively.

Gratitude and Well-being

Scientific studies have established a strong correlation between gratitude and an individual’s well-being. Gratitude encourages positive emotions, fosters resilience, and enhances relationships. When we express gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives, which often stems from outside ourselves. This recognition establishes a connection with something larger than our individual experiences—whether other people, nature, or a higher power—thus broadening our perspective and enhancing our overall life satisfaction.

Gratitude as a Virtue

Gratitude is a virtue that transcends cultural, religious, and philosophical boundaries. It is a universal human experience that can be cultivated and enhanced. The practice of gratitude can have profound effects on our lives, from boosting our mental health to improving our relationships. It inspires us to focus on the positive aspects of our lives, fostering an attitude of optimism and contentment.

In conclusion, gratitude is not just an emotion but a practice that can significantly improve our lives. By consciously cultivating gratitude, we can shift our focus from what our lives lack to the abundance that’s already present. This shift can lead to greater emotional well-being, improved relationships, and a more fulfilling life. Therefore, gratitude is not just a courtesy or an act of good manners, but a key to a happier and healthier life.

500 Words Essay on Gratitude

The power of gratitude.

Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can significantly shape our lives. It’s not just about saying ‘thank you’; it’s a deeper appreciation that generates positive energy within us and around us. In essence, gratitude is a way of seeing that alters our gaze.

The Science of Gratitude

Scientific studies have shown that gratitude can have profound and positive effects on our health, our moods, and even the survival of our marriages. Gratitude activates the hypothalamus, a part of the brain responsible for several crucial tasks, and triggers the release of dopamine, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter. This makes us feel happier, less stressed, and more connected to others.

The practice of gratitude can improve our psychological well-being by redirecting our attention to the positive aspects of life. It can help us to appreciate the small things that often go unnoticed, but are nonetheless essential for our happiness. Gratitude can even act as an antidote to negative emotions such as envy, resentment, and regret.

Gratitude and Relationships

Gratitude can also strengthen relationships. Expressing gratitude to others can increase our social support, deepen our relationships, and make us feel more connected to the people around us. It can also help to build trust and encourage reciprocal kindness.

Gratitude and Resilience

In the face of adversity, gratitude has the power to heal, to be resilient, and to move us forward. It allows us to find meaning in our suffering and to see the bigger picture, which can help us to overcome difficulties and build resilience for future challenges.

Practicing gratitude can be as simple as keeping a gratitude journal, where we write down things for which we are grateful. This simple act can help us to focus on the positive aspects of our life, to appreciate what we have, and to not take things for granted.

In conclusion, gratitude is more than just a polite thank you. It is a powerful tool that can transform our lives, improve our health, enhance our relationships, and build resilience. By practicing gratitude, we can shift our focus from what we lack to the abundance that is already present in our lives. The power of gratitude lies in its ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, to turn what we have into enough, and to remind us that the best gifts in life are often the ones we already have.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Education Articles & More

How to foster gratitude in schools, when students are thankful, they feel more connected to their schools and teachers, explain researchers jeffrey j. froh and giacomo bono ..

Your optimism is infectious. You’re like the first domino in the domino effect. You impact my life every class with the theories we learn, and I subsequently pass on this knowledge to my family and friends. Thank you for always giving our class 100%.

A note like this is every teacher’s dream—and one of us (Jeffrey Froh) was fortunate enough to receive it from a student recently. The note didn’t only warm Jeff’s heart; it illustrated to him how establishing positive relationships and feelings of connection in schools can help transform youth.

But with budget cuts intensifying the demands on teachers and other school personnel, how can schools strengthen students’ connections to their teachers, schools, and communities?

We propose one answer that’s not only free but can be infused into existing curricula across subjects and grade levels: gratitude.

The two of us have been among the first researchers to study gratitude among youth. Since we started our research program in 2006, we’ve worked with thousands of children and adolescents across the United States (and we’re now expanding this work to Australia, Britain, Japan, and Singapore). Though the field is still new, we’re already learning how gratitude does more than just make kids feel good; it also improves their mood, mental health, and life satisfaction, and it can jumpstart more purposeful engagement in life at a critical moment in their development, when their identity is taking shape.

For instance, a recent study of ours found that teens who had high levels of gratitude when entering high school had less negative emotions and depression and more positive emotions, life satisfaction, and happiness four years later when they were finishing high school. They also had more hope and a stronger sense of meaning in life. Another study of ours , which followed students over six months, shows that feeling grateful motivates adolescents to help others and use their strengths to contribute to society.

That’s wonderful for the grateful students. But what about the others? Can students learn to cultivate gratitude—and reap the benefits?

In our research, we’ve tested concrete ways that educators can actually make youth more grateful—with very positive results. This research points to specific practices and principles that educators can weave into their classrooms.

Perhaps the most commonly used technique for boosting gratitude—among adults and youth alike—is a gratitude journal .

In one early study , we asked middle school students simply to list five things for which there were grateful daily for two weeks, and we compared these students to others who were writing about hassles in their life or basic daily life events. Keeping a gratitude journal was related to more optimism and life satisfaction and to fewer physical complaints and negative emotions. Most significantly, compared to the other students, gratitude journalers reported more satisfaction with their school experience immediately after the two-week period, a result that held up even three weeks later.

This exercise is easy to implement. Regardless of the subject, educators can have students jot down what they are grateful for before class begins. To make the exercise more potent students can describe why they are grateful for the things they list. Entries could even be posted on a gratitude wall as an artful reminder. We have solid scientific evidence that these practices boost students’ moods, broaden their thinking, and energize greater learning.

Another exercise we’ve tested is the gratitude visit , in which students write a letter to someone who had helped them but whom they’d never properly thanked; the students read their letter to them in person, then later discuss their experience with others who also completed a gratitude visit.

When we conducted a study of the gratitude visit, we found that students who began the study low in positive emotions reported more gratitude and positive emotions immediately after the study, and greater positive emotions two months later, compared with students who didn’t do a gratitude visit.

Try our Gratitude Journal!

Learn more about gratitude journals by participating in the GGSC's online, shareable gratitude journal, Thnx4 .

Building on this research, and research by colleagues, we have identified several key principles that educators can use to promote gratitude in their students—principles that we’ve incorporated into our own gratitude curriculum . This curriculum is intended to subtly instill grateful thinking in youth without requiring an explicit focus on gratitude. It emphasizes three key principles that can support a gratitude journal, a gratitude visit, or simply the practice of gratefulness in everyday life. They are:

1. Notice intentions. Try to encourage students to appreciate the thought behind gifts they receive—to consider how someone noticed their need and acted on it. Research suggests this goes a long way toward cultivating “an attitude of gratitude” among children and adults alike. For students in particular, knowing that others believe in them and their potential motivates self-improvement. To get students to reflect on the intentions behind the gifts they receive, teachers can prompt them with a question such as, “Can you think of a time when a friend (or parent, teacher, or coach) noticed something you needed (e.g., lunch), or remembered something you care about (e.g., collecting feathers) and then provided you with those things?” As students give examples, teachers could have them elaborate: “How did you know they helped you on purpose? How did you feel after they helped you?”

2. Appreciate costs. We also find it important to emphasize that when someone is helpful, that person usually sacrifices time or effort to provide the help. For example, teachers could ask, “What are some things your friend gave up to help you with that project?” Playground aids could say, “Wow, for your friend to come play tag with you, he had to stop playing soccer, which I know is his favorite game.” A librarian could point out “how nice it was for that student to let you use the computer instead.”

3. Recognize the value of benefits. Teachers can also foster gratitude by reminding students that when others help us, they are providing us with “gifts.” This is one reason why, in our gratitude curriculum, we prompt students to focus on the personal value of the kind acts of others. One way teachers can bring this up is to have students complete the sentence stem “My day (or life) is better because…” and give examples such as, “… my teacher helped me when I didn’t understand something” or, “… my coach showed me how to be a better basketball player.”

Studies of our gratitude curriculum have found that children’s ability to think gratefully can be strengthened, and with this change comes improvements in their moods. A weekly version of the curriculum produced these effects up to five months later. A daily version had immediate effects (two days later) and led children to write 80 percent more thank you cards to their PTA; even their teachers found them happier. That it can be infused into any program focused on kind, helpful—or “pro-social”—behavior makes it practical, too.

What’s more, we believe the benefits of gratitude can spread beyond students to teachers and staff, not only improving their work but helping to prevent burnout. This, in turn, can influence parents, providing common ground for investing in youth.

Perhaps most of all, gratitude is a social emotion—it brings people together. After reading his student’s thank you note, for instance, Jeff became inspired. Knowing the student was stressed about graduate school applications, he treated her to some coffee and guidance—first-hand evidence that expressing gratitude can strengthen ties between teachers and students.

By promoting gratitude in schools, we’ll foster these kinds of connections on a much wider scale, helping both students and schools to thrive.

About the Authors

Giacomo Bono

Giacomo Bono, Ph.D., is an associate professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, who studies positive youth development with an emphasis on prosocial behavior and relationships. His is the co-author, with Jeffrey Froh, of Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character .

Jeffrey Froh

Jeffrey J. Froh, Psy.D. , is a writer and professor of psychology at Hofstra University. He’s the founder, past clinical director, and now research director of the Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults. His books include Making Grateful Kids and Thrive: 10 Commandments for 20-Somethings to Live the Best-Life-Possible .

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Thank you for sharing this article as well as the live links.

I have been working on a program with my Grade 7 students which incorporates Gratitude, the Gratitude Journal and a letter at the end of the program.

Your resources are an added bonus for me (and the 7’s, of course!).

Thanks again -

Nicky | 2:26 pm, November 21, 2012 | Link

This article — and everything on this site — is funded by readers like you.

Become a subscribing member today. Help us continue to bring “the science of a meaningful life” to you and to millions around the globe.

Essay on Power of Gratitude for Students in English

Essay on power of gratitude.

We are a master of screwing things up when its time to be grateful to Almighty, siblings, relatives, friends or strangers. We take all the blessings and good deeds as our right. It happens all the time that we take people and their noble acts for granted and never think to be thankful or show gratitude. However, it’s also a fact that we seek a smile for our smaller acts and feel disappointed when fail to have one.

Words of gratitude work as a magic wand that suddenly changes the opinions, feelings and attitude of the person to whom they are paying. It’s a spell that would make both the persons, one who is bestowing gratefulness and the other who is receiving, happier, more optimistic, healthier (physically and spiritually) and productive. This is a potion that costs nothing but returns are immeasurable. Just a little concentration is needed and a feeling of appreciation that would change the environment and make the bonding stronger.

It is proved scientifically that gratitude is a good health choice that needs no money, just a little time and affection. Thankfulness adds to the bottom line in real ways.

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“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart

Gratitude allows you to notice little pleasures, count your blessings and feel the importance of relations, friends and humanity in the little allotted time that is known as ‘Life’. This leads you to the path of Almighty and fills your heart with the love of your creator who provides you with all which even you do not realize. You are needed to be continuously aware of what you have and think about life without having these little happiness and blessings.

It is all about shifting your focus from what you lack to what you have. Expressing gratitude makes people happier and what is more precious than seeing a person happy when you are the reason. Do not lose these moments of contentment and make it a habit to thanks others all the time. This practice makes you grateful to God as well. You would find yourself happier, healthier, optimist, smiling all the time. It heightens the quality of your life as well as the people around you.

Do not tend to take for granted the goods of your life. Try to see the people behind the good. It is awesome to give the credit where it is due. Your mother is the reason for you to live healthy, speak, walk, talk (and a lot more which we cannot count), so is your father. He provided grounds for your education, future, health and safety. There are your teachers, siblings, spouse, friends, neighbours, relatives countless people who play their part for your quality life. OMG! How much you have to return back them for being there for you? A little word of thanks, a sweet smile and a feeling of gratefulness make you worthy of their good deeds.

A little method to practice gratitude is thinking about the blessings you have. Imagine that you are losing them one by one and your life without them. Sounds dreadful… ok!! Let’s think to get them back one by one and consider how thankful you would be for each of them. Try to feel the same grateful all the time. Value your relations, blessings, things around and be happy all the time.

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Paragraph on Gratitude

Gratefulness is part of our character. Showing our positive side to other people is like collecting thousands of blessings. Gratitude is not only an expression but it has many positive impacts. One can include gratitude in their daily life and can get happiness out of it. We have created some of the paragraphs that explain so well about Gratitude and its importance. Kindly read it as per your need.

Short and Long Paragraphs on Gratitude

Paragraph 1 – 100 words.

Gratitude is a gesture that expresses gratefulness to others. Showing thankfulness towards others is manner. We always heard that always be polite to the person who helped you in your bad times. If we express gratefulness towards someone we feel happier.

Gratitude involves appreciation and thankfulness towards others. Gratitude is the way of expressing kindness towards others. Feeling grounded towards others is the reflection of one’s goodness. The word ‘Thank You’ expresses the feeling of gratitude. Gratitude can bring positivity to our surroundings. Being thankful for the things we have or we got from others is one of the best response ones can give.

Paragraph 2 – 120 Words

Gratitude is the best response one could give to others. It is one of the positive emotions that can bring smiles on faces. Gratitude is the best attitude we can express towards our friends, family, and even towards strangers. In our normal routine, we can show gratefulness towards those entire things we have. Like our food, clothes, accessories, and unconditional love from our loved ones.

Only saying thanks is not gratitude but feeling grateful towards others is the gesture of gratitude. Showing respect, kindness, and generous behavior is a way of expressing thankfulness towards others. It is one of the feelings that make a person great. In the fast-moving world, no one has time to interact personally, and taking others granted is also one of the negative gestures. These social distances can be filled by showing gratefulness.

Paragraph 3 – 150 Words

Gratitude is a polite behavior we can show to others. There are many ways to show gratefulness to others:

Maintaining a Gratitude Journal: Keeping a journal for all those things that you are thankful for and those things that are the source of positivity in your life is the best way to express.

Appreciation: Appreciating others is a way to express your gratefulness towards others. Appreciating the smallest efforts of people is a way of thanking others.

Honor your Past: It can sound strange but expressing the thankfulness towards your past is also a positive gesture. Think like that the challenges you faced in your past is your strength now. Due to all those challenges you are stronger to bear more challenges.

Expressing your Feelings: Expressing the feelings towards your loved ones is a way of showing gratitude. Putting small Thank You Notes, gifting others, etc. are some ways to express you.

Paragraph 4 – 200 Words

Gratitude is the best attitude one could feel towards others. It implies that thanking others for their role in your life is the task that can fill positivity in you. Gratitude is the mantra of staying happy. Gratitude can change our lives as it has good impacts on our mental health. Psychologically it has proved that gratitude is a practice for mental well-being. Counting blessings for the small things of life is a beautiful way of thanking others.

Always be optimistic towards life and be expressive towards the people who are with you in your good and bad times both. Let it go the bad times and feel free to express your feelings towards others. Saying thank you is not that hard one could think.

Make a habit of practicing gratitude, it can sound strange but it’s true. Feeling grateful towards the life you have, feeling grateful towards your parents that have blessed you with many things in your life, etc are some of the ways you can include in your life. People often complain that they are always neglected or ignored. There is no fault in the person but it’s a matter of timing.

Paragraph 5 – 250 Words

Gratitude is a positive behavior one can feel towards others. Here I am sharing a short inspirational story that revolves around Gratitude and its importance in pour life:

Once upon a time, there was a crow. One day he was roaming around in Jungle, suddenly he saw a white swan in the nearby pond. Crow felt that the swan is the most beautiful bird and he felt that why he is so dull. He went towards the swan and asked him how he is so beautiful? Swan replied politely I also feel the same as you, have you ever seen a parrot? Crow replied yes I have seen him, and then swan said I think he is the most beautiful creature. Crow flew towards the parrot and asked the same question.

Parrot’s answer shocked the little crow. He said that whenever I saw a peacock I think that how he is so beautiful? Why do people always want to take pictures with him, what the special about his feathers? Crow was not satisfied yet he went to the peacock and repeated his same query. Peacock said firmly, Hey crow probably my feathers attract people but I am the saddest creature. I don’t have the opportunity like you to fly freely and roam around. Crow suddenly felt that beauty is just a parameter and he should be thankful to have a life to fly anywhere without any interruption.

Always be thankful for the things you have and never be disappointed in the things actually you have. Nature has provided ample opportunities to be thankful.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans. We should be grateful as everything teaches us something in life.

Ans. By saying thank you we can show a gesture of gratitude.

Ans. World Gratitude day is celebrated on 21 September.

Ans. By showing gratitude people will become happy and gentle to you.

Paragraph on moral values, paragraph on republic day of india 2023, paragraph on national festivals of india, paragraph on national flag of india, paragraph on importance of republic day of india, paragraph on education, paragraph on my best friend, paragraph on zoo, paragraph on diwali.

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Essence of Gratitude: The Power of Appreciation

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Gratitude Essay Examples

An essay on gratitude can be an excellent opportunity to reflect on the things in life that we often take for granted. It’s a chance to acknowledge the people, experiences, and things that have made a positive impact on our lives. If you’re struggling to get started, here are some gratitude essay examples and tips to help you craft a perfect essay on gratitude.

One way to approach an essay on gratitude is to reflect on specific instances where you’ve experienced gratitude in your life. For example, you might write about a time when someone went out of their way to help you or when you received unexpected kindness from a stranger. These examples can help you illustrate the power of gratitude in our lives and show how it can change our perspective on the world.

Another approach is to write about the benefits of gratitude. Research has shown that practicing gratitude can improve mental health, boost happiness, and even enhance physical health. You can explore these benefits in your essay and provide examples of how you’ve experienced them in your own life.

If you’re a college student, consider writing a gratitude college essay. In this essay, you can reflect on how college has shaped you and the opportunities it has provided. You might write about a professor who inspired you or a project that challenged you in new ways. By expressing gratitude for your college experience, you’ll be able to showcase your growth and appreciation for the opportunities you’ve had.

Overall, an essay on gratitude can be a powerful tool for personal growth and reflection. By exploring gratitude in your life, you’ll be able to recognize the good things that are often overlooked and find ways to cultivate more gratitude in your daily life. Use the gratitude essay examples and tips above to craft a perfect essay on gratitude and let your gratitude shine through your words.

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2. Being Thankful And Expressing Gratitude

3. Gratitude: Knowledge of Giving Thanks in Life

4. Gratitude and the Act of Giving on Valentine’s Day

5. Thank You Day: Remembering the Feeling of Gratitude

6. How Can the Virtue of Gratitude Enchanse Your Career Growth

7. What Practicing Gratitude Taught Me

8. How the Power of Gratitude Can Change Your Life

9. Living with Gratitude: Opening the Door for Self-Improvement

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Essay on Gratitude

Gratitude is the feeling that compels you to return a favour and express gratefulness. It could arise for anyone – God, society, persons, animals, etc. In the essays below we will cover various topics on gratitude to help you understand the subject deeply.

Short and Long Essays on Gratitude in English

You can select anyone of the essays given below as per your requirement.

Gratitude Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) When people help us, the return thankful feeling for them is called gratitude.

2) “Gratus” is the root origin of the word gratitude which means thankful.

3) Gratitude helps in maintaining a good relationship.

4) Accepting and giving gratitude both make people happy.

5) Gratitude can be shown to family, friends, instructors, nature, animals, or God.

6) Gratitude encourages the helping nature in society.

7) Gratitude creates peace, unity, and harmony in society.

8) Gratitude helps us to remain happy by improving our quality of living.

9) Helping is a positive quality of humans that needs to be appreciated through gratitude.

10) Humans should always be grateful for life, resources, and help.

Essay on Gratitude 1 (250 Words) – Meaning and Importance of Gratitude

Introduction

We all hear the word ‘gratitude’ too often in normal conversations or while reading a book, etc. In this essay, we will discuss the definition of gratitude and its importance.

What is Gratitude

In a lay man’s term, gratitude is the quality of expressing gratefulness to someone for an act of kindness or help. It is the same quality that lets you remember the kindness someone has shown for you and urges you to return the favour.

If you feel an urge to help back someone who has helped you; this feeling or longing is nothing but gratitude. It is only gratitude that compels you to say thank you or send a thank you note to your teacher.

Gratitude can be expressed to living beings as well as to God and nature. We can express our gratitude to the nature for providing us so many essential things – water, air, food, etc.

Importance of Gratitude

Gratitude is a very important quality that improves the quality of life, making the existence more sensible. It establishes social harmony and induces an environment where everyone is appreciating each other and providing support.

It also improves the quality of our personal lives and strengthens our bonds with family and friends. In a family where everyone is grateful to everyone, has a deep emotional attachment.

Gratitude is the best way to return the favor to society, nature, God, friends, relatives, and relatives for thousands of good things all of them have done to us.

Essay on Gratitude 2 (400 Words) – Advantages of Gratitude and How to Practice It

Gratitude is the feeling to be grateful for an act of kindness done onto you by someone. Being grateful also means that you should be willing to return the favour in whatever way possible. In the essay below we will go through some of the benefits of gratitude and the ways to practice it.

Advantages of Gratitude

Gratitude has several benefits on your personal as well as social life. I have listed below some of the important benefits of gratitude for your knowledge :

1) Strengthens Relationship

Gratitude strengthens your relationship with others. Being thankful is a wonderful feeling and an experience that strengthens the bonds between both the parties. It improves the trust factor and the feeling of being respected and acknowledged.

2) Makes You Happy

The quality of gratitude also makes you feel happy. When you express gratitude or receive it from someone, in both cases you feel happy for doing something good or for something good that has been done to you. Persons with gratitude are known to have reduced stress.

3) Makes the Society Sensible

A society that expresses gratitude for each other is the happiest and sensible society. People are considerate and never leave a chance to be thankful for others. A sensible society is bound to make progress in the right way.

4) Reduces Comparisons and Promote Acknowledgement

When you are thankful for others you don’t compare them on the basis of their financial status or other factors. You are just thankful to everyone and appreciate their achievements.

How to Practice Gratitude

There are some effective ways to practice gratitude that I will list below-

Make note of every good thing that happens to you every day and who was responsible for it.
Plan to return the favour at an appropriate time.
Appreciate everything – nature, animals, and plants around us and acknowledge their importance.
Say thanks to various community helpers – washerman, gardener, policeman, sweepers, etc, whenever possible.
While waking up every day, thank God for such a beautiful day.
Thank God again for all the day’s ordeals that have made you wiser and stronger.
Refrain from complaining about something or someone.

Gratitude is a wonderful and the most beautiful feeling that strengthens human psychology and society as well. A society where everyone is grateful is the happiest and the loveliest of all.

Essay on Gratitude 3 (500 – 600 Words) – Types of Gratitude and Their Use

Gratitude is that quality in you that lets you be thankful to someone for help. Showing gratitude means showing appreciation to the person who has helped you and be kind in return. It is a very important quality of humans and is essential when it comes to social recognition and harmony.

Types of Gratitude

There could be different types of gratitude depending on to whom it is expressed and for what; however, the basic feeling behind gratitude is the same in most cases and it is to be thankful. Below I have mentioned some types of gratitude to the best of my understanding.

1) Gratitude Expressed to a Person

This is the gratitude that you express in your everyday interaction with others. We do a number of activities every day and interact with several people – colleagues, co-passengers, community helpers, etc. We interact with several parsons in a day and sometimes couldn’t even recall the nature of it. Many persons might be doing a simple act of kindness on us for which we should be thankful.

You should be thankful to that co-passenger of yours who shifted his/her seat so that you don’t have to travel standing or that vegetable vendor who just gave you extra vegetable; or a colleague who helped you in a critical meeting. These all are examples of simple acts of kindness that we should be grateful for. A simple thank you in return will do but what is more important is that you should remember their kindness and spread it.

2) Gratitude to the Almighty

This type of gratitude is expressed to God for all the good things happening in your life and the abundance of life providing elements around you. We should be thankful to the almighty for everything he has given us – food, water, air, soil, mountains, flowers, animals, waterfalls, clouds, etc the list could go on and on.

The point is that we should be thankful to God for giving us such a beautiful planet that abounds in food and beauty. We can express our gratitude to God by thanking him with folded hands before every meal or trying not to damage the beautiful earth or to harm any of the creatures that the almighty has created for us. We need to understand that the more we will be grateful to nature and God, the more they will shower us with abundance.

3) Gratitude to Family and Friends

This kind of gratitude is expressed to the closest people around you – family, friends, etc. They play an essential role in your life by giving love and support. It wouldn’t be able to go through the ups and downs of life, without the support of your family and friends. We should always keep this in mind and be grateful to our close ones.

Though they might not help us every day, they sure help us at times when we need help the most. We must always keep this in mind and be willing to return the gratitude when time demands. Sometimes, our physical presence and guidance, suggestions, etc might just be enough to return the favor. Being grateful to family and friends is an act that strengthens not only your personal relationship but also results in a happy and content society.

Gratitude is the most important human expression that proves that humans are sensible and have emotions. Not only humans but sometimes animals are also seen as expressing gratitude and returning a favor, which is as beautiful as it is surprising. We must always express gratitude whenever required and must also return the gesture whenever the opportunity arises.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

Ans . Gratitude is the value that makes us feel thankful to others for their help.

Ans . Gratitude is a unique quality because it fills us with positivity and makes us happy.

Ans . We can express our gratitude to thank god and nature for providing us everything we need.

Ans . Gratitude is a powerful quality as it helps in strengthening the bond of relationships.

Ans . Gratitude has the power to turn every refusal to approval and therefore is a secret of happiness.

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Essays About Gratitude: Top 5 Examples and 7 Writing Prompts

Writing essays about gratitude is a way to show appreciation and recognize kindness. See our top examples and prompts you can use as a guide for your essay.

I’m not outspoken, and everyone close to me knows this. However, this one time, a family friend visited us and gave me a set of paintbrushes for my birthday. I thanked them, but that didn’t feel enough as they went out of their way to pick high-quality brushes and deliver them in person, even if we weren’t close. That kind lady wanted me to pursue my interest in painting, and I have felt grateful to her ever since.

For those like me who can’t fully express gratitude through words, it becomes an intimidating task to even write about it. After all, essays about gratitude require finesse and sincerity that are hard to prove through pen and paper.

5 Essay Examples

1. the expression of gratitude by writer rosalyn, 2. a good life is a gratitude, meaning, and love by anonymous on ivypanda.com, 3. the magical power of gratitude and saying ‘thank you’ by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. essay on gratitude by anonymous on toppr.com , 5. meaning and importance of gratitude by anonymous on mystudentsessay.com, 1. the true meaning of gratitude, 2. expressing gratitude, 3. the benefits of practicing gratitude, 4. culture and gratitude expression, 5. values and gratitude, 6. the boundaries of gratitude, 7. practicing gratitude: a day in my life.

“… Participants who expressed gratitude in a close relationship would have greater relationship satisfaction than those who did not express gratitude.”

The essay contains a compilation of information from various studies to discuss the effect of expressing gratitude verbally. Rosalyn discovers that the rate of relationship satisfaction increases after expressing gratitude and leads to lasting relationships and reduced divorce rates.

Rosalyn notes how expressions of gratitude act as positive reinforcement, encouraging the recipient to be more inclined to agree to do favors. For instance, many sellers include gifts and discounts with purchases to express gratitude and cultivate repeat buyers.

“… A good life is a complex term with different meanings, but all the interpretations have a particular point in common – well-being is associated with gratitude, meaning, and love.”

The author defines the “good life” as spiritual contentment and shares their opinion and experiences as a clinical mental health counselor. They remark that gratefulness can signify healthy well-being since it means an individual is intent on what they have instead of what they don’t. Further, people filled with gratitude can find meaning in life in time and with practice.

The counselor also mentions the importance of having someone who truly loves and cares for us to remind us to be grateful even in the darkest times of our lives. In conclusion, the writer reiterates that it’s complicated to define what a good life entails, but all definitions directly connect to gratitude, meaning, and love.

“I discovered a secret about life, and as a result of my discovery, one of the things I began to do was practice gratitude each day, to say “thank you!” more. As a result of this, everything in my life changed, and the more I practiced gratitude, the more miraculous were the result.”

To demonstrate the positive benefits of feeling and expressing gratitude, the author narrates their experiences in this short essay. They talk about their financial, relationship, and health problems and how they were all resolved when they started to be grateful. The writer considers this magical, but a change in their perception helped them overcome their problems.

“… Gratitude is the most essential human expression which proves that humans are sensible and have emotions. Moreover, this emotion does not just limit to humans but also animals. Often, we see them express their gratitude and return the favour.”

In this essay, the author identifies gratitude as a beautiful way of enriching our existence. It’s a vital skill that every person should learn and practice to invite goodness and get various benefits, such as stronger relationships and a happier outlook. The writer believes it’s crucial to always express gratitude to inspire others and remember that humans are emotional beings.

“Gratitude leads to feelings of happiness and satisfaction as it increases awareness that others have done something nice for you. As a result, gratitude and happiness become mutually reinforcing and build upon each other. Science shows that gratitude is a particular emotion, since it consists of a feeling of appreciation that does not require specific objects or actions which instigate it.”

This essay focuses on the importance and benefits of practicing gratitude which the author refers to as “the greatest gift to humanity.” Gratitude is vital as it helps us recognize positive and negative things to assist us in finding meaning and purpose in life. The author states that practicing mindfulness and meditation brings about gratitude that will improve various aspects of one’s life.

7 Prompts for Essays About Gratitude

Essays About Gratitude: The true meaning of gratitude

Gratitude is one of the most salient topics to write about and discuss. It’s a positive emotion we feel whenever we receive something that demonstrates the giver’s sincerity. Use this prompt to discuss the meaning of gratitude with your readers in two ways. First, explain its definition according to dictionaries and experts. Then use your personal experiences to illustrate what gratitude means to you.

“Thank you!” is a simple but effective phrase to express appreciation to those who try to improve your day. For this prompt, list more ways to express gratitude through verbal communication or actions. Add tips on showing gratitude while considering important factors such as the event or context, relationship to the recipient, and suitability of the method.

Focus your essay on the advantages one can get from practicing gratitude; use this prompt to encourage your readers to acknowledge the good things happening to them. Provide relevant research and examples that show the benefits of demonstrating gratitude.

For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing .

Essays About Gratitude: Culture and gratitude expression

The environment an individual grows up in plays a big part in how they express gratitude. Explore different cultures worldwide and discuss how beliefs, religion, and culture can affect how groups display gratefulness. Show your reader’s how different cultures communicate gratitude, including the common reasons they do so. Then, share how you were taught to convey gratitude in your culture.

Exercising gratitude trains us to establish positive values such as enthusiasm and optimism. Use this prompt to identify and discuss the values one can gain from learning about gratitude. Discuss the values you developed while practicing gratitude to make your essay relatable. You might also be interested in these essays about overcoming challenges .

Although gratitude is one of the most positive emotions we can experience, it should still be practiced within healthy boundaries. Such limitations should be applied when a person develops extreme beliefs involving gratitude. An example is over-optimism, where an individual becomes unrealistically optimistic to the point that they ignore the existence of their problems. In your essay, discuss how to practice gratitude in a way that positively influences your life.

In this essay, reflect on a typical day in your life and highlight the parts that make you feel thankful. This prompt will help you appreciate the trivial things in your life and teach your readers how to treasure even the minor things in their lives. For example, having the opportunity to wake up and live another day already deserves your gratitude. Discuss all the things that you are grateful for in this heartfelt essay.

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Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Common Application Essay Option 4—Gratitude

Tips and Strategies for the 2021-22 Common App

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One major change to the Common Application in the 2021-22 admissions cycle is the addition of a new essay prompt. Option #4 now reads, "Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?"

This new prompt replaces the earlier question about solving a problem : "Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma--anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution." Keep in mind that colleges and universities still want to learn about students interested in solving significant problems, and you still have the "Topic of Your Choice" option if you feel your essay would fit well under the former option #4.

According to Common App , the new prompt serves a couple purposes. First, it replaces a prompt that wasn't very popular among college applicants. More importantly, it gives applicants the opportunity to write about something positive at a difficult time in world history. Rather than write about significant problems, challenges, and anxieties, the new prompt #4 invites you to share something heartfelt and uplifting.

The Importance of Gratitude and Kindness

During the college application process, it's easy and tempting to focus entirely on your personal accomplishments: good grades, challenging AP courses, leadership experiences, athletic ability, musical talent, and so on. Even community service can sometimes come across as focused on your self—hours spent to bolster your application credentials.

Gratitude, however, is a largely selfless feeling. It's about your appreciation for someone else. It's recognizing that your growth and success wouldn't be possible without others. When you express gratitude, you aren't saying "look at me!" Rather, you are appreciating those who have helped you become you.

The folks at Common App have expressed that the new prompt allows students to write about something positive. This is true, but the prompt serves a bigger purpose in the admissions selection process. Highly selective schools end up rejecting thousands of well-qualified applicants, and those decisions will often come down to questions of character rather than GPA and SAT scores.

Think of it this way: when a college is choosing between two students who are academically strong and impressive on the extracurricular front, they will choose the student who seems to be the most kind and generous. Admissions officers are building a campus community with their admissions decisions, and they want to create a community filled with students who appreciate others, build each other up, and recognize the contributions of peers, staff, and professors. They want to admit students who will be kind roommates, collaborative lab partners, and supportive team members.

Chris Peterson, an assistant director of admissions at MIT, wrote a blog post in which he identified three essential qualities for getting into one of the world's most selective schools: do well in school, pursue your passion, and be nice. He notes that this last quality "cannot be overstated." MIT is not a Common Application member, but the point applies perfectly to the value of prompt #4. A winning essay doesn't say "me, me, me!" It shows that you are not only an accomplished person, but also someone who knows how to say "thank you."

Breaking Down the Essay Prompt

Before crafting your essay on prompt #4, it's essential to understand everything that the prompt is asking you to do as well as what it is not asking. The prompt is just 28 words long:

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

The prompt has several important elements to consider.

"Reflect"

The very first word in the prompt is one of the most significant. "Reflect" means much more than "write about" or "describe." When you reflect on something, you look inward and reveal self-awareness. You employ critical thinking skills to explain why something is important. Reflection is an act of self-discovery as you examine what you have learned and why it was meaningful.

Here's a quick example:

Unreflective writing: Coach Strauss always taught the team the value of hard work. We practiced hours every day regardless of the weather. The coach's strategy paid off when we won the state championship. The effort we put in wasn't always enjoyable, but the team's success showed that the path to success requires sacrifices.

Reflective writing: I used to resent those miserable and seemingly endless soccer practices in the rain or even snow. Looking back, I now recognize the value of what Coach Strauss was teaching the team. To succeed, we need to work through small obstacles. We need to persevere even when motivation is hard to find. We need to recognize that we always have room for improvement, and we need to support each other as we work towards that goal. I can now see that her lessons were about much more than soccer, and thanks to her I am not just a better athlete, but a better student, peer, sister, and community member.

The first example describes the writer's soccer experience. Nothing in the passage looks inward to analyze the importance of Coach Strauss to the writer's personal awareness and development. The second passage succeeds on this front—it expresses gratitude for Coach Strauss and the way that her lessons helped the writer grow.

"Something" and "Someone"

A nice feature of the Common Application is that all of the essay prompts are designed to give you a lot of latitude in how you respond. The words "something" and "someone" in the new prompt #4 are deliberately vague. You can write about anyone and anything. Possible choices for the person you focus on include

A teacher who helped you realize your potential or see the world in a new way.
A coach who taught you valuable skills.
A family member whose support, love, or guidance helped you become the person you are today.
A peer who was always there for you in challenging times.
A student you mentored or tutored who ended up teaching you something valuable in the process.
A member of your church or community who had a meaningful and positive impact on your life.

The wording of the prompt implies that the "someone" is a living person, so you'll want to avoid writing about an author, God, a pet, or a historical figure (but feel free to use prompt #7 for these topics).

As you think about the "something" that the person did for you, make sure it is meaningful. It needs to be something that has changed you in a positive way.

"Surprising"

When the prompt states that you should write about something that has made you "happy or thankful in a surprising way," don't get too hung up on that word "surprising." This doesn't mean that you need to be shocked or overwhelmed by whatever it is that a person did for you. Don't think of the term "surprising" as something that made you speechless and caused an adrenalin rush. It does not need to be something earth-shattering or even unusual. Rather, the "surprise" can simply be something that expanded your world view, made you think about something you hadn't considered before, or caused you to appreciate something new. Some of the best essays focus on something small or subtle that changed you in a meaningful way.

"Gratitude"

The essay's focus on "gratitude" and thankfulness means that you absolutely must show appreciation for someone other than yourself. One main purpose of this essay, in fact, is to show that you recognize the contributions that others have made to your personal journey. Be generous. Be kind. Show that you value the people who have made you into the person you are.

"Affected" and "Motivated"

Here's the tricky part. Essay #4 is all about recognizing someone else and showing gratitude for the way in which that person has enriched your life. That said, every college application essay needs to be about you. The admissions folks aren't really interested in learning about someone else. They are interested in learning about the student they are considering for admission.

This means you have a careful balancing act to perform with essay option #4. You need to write about the person who contributed to your life in a meaningful and surprising way, but you also need to be introspective and present why that person was so important to you. What did you learn from the person? How did you grow? How did that person change your world view, strengthen your convictions, help you overcome an obstacle, or give you a new sense of direction?

When you answer questions like these, you are writing about yourself. The true goal of this essay is to show that you are a grateful, kind, thoughtful, introspective, and generous person. The focus isn't so much on the person you are writing about, but your ability to cherish that person.

Avoid These Mistakes

You can write about anyone who was important to you, and your gratitude can be for something large or small as long as it affected you in a meaningful way. There are, however, several mistakes you want to avoid when responding to the prompt:

Don't display ego . Prompt #4 is about acknowledging the important contributions others have made to your life, so a boastful or egotistical tone will be entirely out of place. If at its heart your essay says "Coach Strauss helped make me into the award-winning national champion I am today," you've missed the mark.

Do more than describe . Make sure you "reflect" and explore how the person "affected" and "motivated" you. A winning essay needs to be thoughtful and introspective. If you spend the entire essay describing the person who has made you grateful, the admissions folks won't get to know you better and your essay won't have done its job.

Don't be clever with the "someone." Write about a real living human being who has enriched your life in a direct way. Don't write about yourself, God, Abe Lincoln, or Harry Potter. You also don't want to write about a sports idol or musician—while they may have influenced you, they didn't actually do something specifically "for you."

Attend to the Writing

Never forget that your Common Application serves not just to help the admissions folks get to know you, but also to show that you are a capable writer. No matter what your major is, a significant part of your college GPA is going to stem from writing. Successful college students can write clear, engaging, error-free prose. You'll want to pay careful attention to your essay's style , tone, and mechanics. At a highly selective university with more qualified applicants than can be admitted, the difference between an acceptance and rejection can come down to some glaring grammatical errors in the essay.

If you aren't confident in your writing ability, seek help. Have multiple people read your essay. Get feedback from parents and peers, Even more valuable will probably be feedback from your high school counselor and English teacher, for they have more experience with personal essays.

A Final Note for Common Application Option #4

This essay prompt can be approached is so many different ways, but at its heart, the essay needs to accomplish one thing: it needs to show that you are the type of person the college wants to join their campus community. Make sure you come across as someone who is kind, generous, and thoughtful. Show that you care about good writing by crafting an engaging essay that is free of any significant errors. Finally, don't be afraid to let your personality shine. Don't hold back (within reason) if you are a quirky or humorous person. The essay needs to sound like you.

The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
Tips for Writing an Essay on an Event That Led to Personal Growth
2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
Common Application Essay Option 3 Tips: Challenging a Belief
Common Application Essay on a Meaningful Place
Common Application Essay Option 2 Tips: Learning from Failure
"Grandpa's Rubik's Cube"—Sample Common Application Essay, Option #4
Common Application Essay, Option 1: Share Your Story
Tips for an Admissions Essay on an Influential Person
How to Ace Your University of Wisconsin Personal Statements
Ideal College Application Essay Length
5 Tips for a College Admissions Essay on an Important Issue
Tips for the Pre-2013 Personal Essay Options on the Common Application
Tips for an Application Essay on a Significant Experience
Addressing Diversity in a College Application Essay
The Length Requirements for the Common Application Essay in 2020-21

How to Express Gratitude to Others: 19 Examples & Ideas

How did that moment make you and that person feel?

Or maybe you can remember a time someone gave you something, something you didn’t buy or ask for – just a token of their appreciation? It felt pretty good, didn’t it?

This article will look at the ways we can best express our gratitude, the benefits of expressing the gratitude we feel towards others, and how you can practice the act of gratitude whilst learning to appreciate the positive emotions that accompany it.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Gratitude Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients connect to more positive emotions and enjoy the benefits of gratitude.

This Article Contains:

How can we best express gratitude towards others, the benefits of expressing gratitude for life and others, 7 ways to express thanks and gratitude to friends, teachers, and parents, what are gratitude gifts (incl. ideas), what is a gratitude challenge, 7 tips for setting a gratitude challenge, letter of gratitude ideas for thanking parents, more ideas for gratitude emails and posts, 5 gratitude stories, inspiring reflections for gratitude, 5 ideas for expressing everyday gratitude, designing a gratitude bulletin board at work, make a gratitude visit, when is gratitude day (it’s not just thanksgiving), about gratitude month.

A Take Home Message

“We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love.”

Mother Teresa

‘Gratitude’ is a multi-layered, complex concept with multiple definitions . It can be regarded at many levels of analysis ranging from momentary affect to long-term dispositions (McCullough, 2004), as a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation (Sansone & Sansone, 2010), and as the recognition and appreciation of an altruistic gift (Emmons, 2004).

There is a wealth of evidence reflecting on the benefits we derive from expressing gratitude and appreciation; such expressions evoke an array of psychological, social, and physical benefits that promote our psychological, social and physiological health (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

“There is no duty more indispensable than that of returning a kindness”

Gratitude can have a lasting positive impact if we work towards incorporating it into our daily lives.

The expression of gratitude is a self-promoting exercise, grateful people are found to be more likely to respond with gratitude to a wider range of scenarios and recognize the beneficence on the part of others.

This leads to a positive, self-renewing, feedback loop – the more gratitude we display, the more our subjective wellbeing and resistance to negativity increases, and the more grateful we are likely to be (Emmons & Stern, 2013).

Actions that display gratitude are more valuable than solely feeling gratitude towards others (Lambert, Clark, Durtschi, Fincham, & Graham, 2010). For this very reason, it’s important to recognize the methods by which we can express gratitude effectively and exercise them as and when the situation warrants.

How we choose to express gratitude can depend significantly on the social context – taking a partner to their favorite restaurant to thank them for their support may be a completely suitable practice, but would not be a measured expression of gratitude towards, say, a stranger who held open a door.

Below are just a few ways in which you can express gratitude to others – the list is by no means definitive but is a starting point for finding methods of expressing your thanks.

Random acts of kindness. Random acts of kindness can yield substantial reward in terms of subjective wellbeing (Rowland & Curry, 2019). If you see a stranger struggling under a heavy load of shopping, offer a hand. Donate unwanted clothes to charity. Help someone lost with directions. The list is nigh inexhaustible!
Be respectful. Maintain standards of etiquette in your day-to-day interactions with strangers. Just because you don’t know them, it doesn’t mean you should withhold the common courtesy you expect yourself. Hold the door open, respect their space, and be mindful of how your actions impact them.
Tip your server. Going to the effort to make your experience a positive one, service-industry employees are often unsung heroes. In a fast-paced service environment, stopping a server to read them a gratitude letter isn’t likely to be received well but dropping a tip in the jar (if you can afford to) lets the staff know you’re thankful for their efforts.
Volunteer in your community. Volunteering is not only a great way to connect with others and gain experience, it has also been found to increase subjective wellbeing and pose significant health benefits. Thoits and Hewitt (2001) found volunteer work to have a positive impact on elements of personal wellbeing. Those who undertook volunteering opportunities reported increased levels of happiness, life satisfaction , self-esteem, sense of control over life, physical health and lower levels of depression.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

William Arthur Ward

Expressing gratitude can lead to significant increases in subjective, psychological, spiritual, and physical wellbeing; the benefits of expressing gratitude are many.

Hill, Allemand, and Roberts (2013) postulated that grateful individuals are better able to form social bonds, utilize coping skills to defer stress, maintain positive affect, and are more creative in problem solving. Bartlett, Condon, Cruz, Baumann, and Desteno (2012) suggested gratitude is related to increases in relationship satisfaction, social affiliation, and facilitates socially inclusive behaviors, even when those actions come at a personal cost to oneself.

Social benefits

The expression of gratitude plays a pivotal role in building and maintaining social relationships. Research into the role of gratitude in real, ongoing, relationships looked at naturally occurring gratitude in college sororities during a week of anonymous gift-giving from existing members to new members (Little Sisters).

Little Sisters’ gratitude was found to be a predictor of their feelings of integration within the sorority and indicated gratitude is about more than repaying benefits; it is about building relationships and aiding the integration and cooperation of group members.

Gratitude serves the social function of promoting relationships with others who are responsive to our likes and dislikes, our needs and preferences, helping us get through difficult times and flourish in good times (Algoe, Haidt & Gable, 2008).

Additionally, expressions of gratitude also increase prosocial behavior (behaviors that are intended to benefit others) by enabling individuals to feel social worth and support while simultaneously reducing their feelings of uncertainty about whether they can help effectively (Grant & Gino, 2010).

Experiencing gratitude is one component that contributes to the fostering of positive feelings, contributing to one’s overall sense of wellbeing. Emmons and McCullough (2003) examined the emotional benefits of gratitude and the link to wellbeing. Participant groups kept a daily or weekly journal under three experimental conditions: ‘negative life events’, ‘things I am grateful for’ and ‘neutral life events’.

Across the study conditions, the gratitude sub-sample consistently showed higher self-reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, attentiveness, determination and energy in comparison with the other two study groups.

Additionally, gratitude is connected to our self-esteem – Kong, Ding, and Zhao (2015) revealed a significant path from gratitude to overall life satisfaction through social support and self-esteem among undergraduate students.

Gratitude expression is uniquely important to psychological wellbeing and linked to enhanced positive emotions, resilience, better coping skills, and an improved ability to manage stress, and an increase in happiness (Sansone & Sansone, 2010. Wood, Joseph, & Maltby, 2009).

Happiness is subjective; the essence of what it means to be happy will almost certainly differ depending on who you ask. What is more absolute is that we all want to be happy regardless of what our own definitions may be.

Peterson, Park, and Seligman (2005) suggested the tendency to pursue happiness via the route of gratitude is a way to live ‘the good life’. This was compounded by Lashani, Shaeiri, Asghari-Moghadam, & Golzari, (2012) who concluded that gratitude can increase positive affectivity, happiness and optimism.

Physical health benefits

Gratitude expression correlates positively with self-reported physical health and, through the mediation of psychological health, increases healthy activities and willingness to seek help for health concerns (Hill, Allemand, & Roberts, 2013).

Download 3 Free Gratitude Exercises (PDF)

These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to build daily gratitude habits, express more appreciation toward others, and experience more positive emotions in everyday life.

Download Download 3 Gratitude Tools (PDF)

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When you think about expressing gratitude and thanks, how does it make you feel? Embarrassed? Awkward? You are not alone. For some, expressing gratitude does not come easily, even to those people who mean the most to us. Whether it’s a friend, teacher, or parent, the positive impact a little bit of gratitude can have is immense for both parties.

It is often the simplest of gestures that speak volumes in showing your gratitude. We all have people in our lives who inspire us and generally just make life better by being in it; here we will look at ways to express gratitude to those who should really hear it.

1. Say the words!

Words are powerful and the simplest, most direct, way to express gratitude to the people we may take for granted. Given proximity, a verbal expression of your appreciation in person is effective – if you can’t do it in person, make the phone call and brighten somebody’s day.

2. Write a gratitude letter or note

Spend some time thinking about what you appreciate most about your friends, teacher, or parents and draft a letter by hand, expressing your sentiments. While recognizing your gratitude is important – just writing it down is enough to make you feel warm inside – actually reading the letter out loud is worth so much more.

Maybe jumping in with a full gratitude letter is too big a first step for you to make, that’s OK! Why not try a thank you note in a thoughtfully selected or handmade card? While writing thank you notes is a bit of a lost art; it takes almost no time at all but is a sincere expression of gratitude.

3. Show gratitude through creative expression

We can’t all be talented artists, but it really is the thought and effort put in that counts. Often homemade gifts mean the most, a little bit of creativity goes a long way.

4. Give a gratitude gift

When choosing a gift aimed specifically at expressing gratitude, opt for meaningful over monetary value. Gratitude in itself is a gift but giving a thoughtful, personal gift that can be kept, displayed and treasured is something really special.

5. Express your appreciation face to face with a gratitude visit

While expressing gratitude in person might be a big step for some, the gesture of going out of your way to tell someone how much you appreciate them is enough for everyone to feel the benefits. If you can’t make the visit in person, send a personalized video message.

6. Ask how they are (and listen to their response!)

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed; the simple act of actively listening to your loved ones can be an effective way to show you value them. Put down your phone, remain attentive and let them steer the conversation.

7. Make a gratitude scrapbook

If you are thinking of how to show appreciation for a teacher, try making your own scrapbook or even better, ask your entire class to get involved, each student can add a page of gratitude then put it all together in a book. Make one for your friend or parents and fill it with photographs of special moments over the years.

Friend, teachers and parents are probably the people we’re most grateful for but show least gratitude towards. Expressing gratitude is personal to you – you know the person best, think about what would have the most value to them.

Gift-giving can be viewed as a reciprocal practice, whereby responding with gratitude after receiving some ‘benefit’ is a moral obligation (Watkins, Scheer, Ovnicek, & Kolts, 2006).

However, we shouldn’t think of it as a ‘debt of gratitude’, rather as a meaningful way to cultivate social support, which is beneficial for both individuals and society as a whole.

A gratitude gift might be something of material value but it does not need to be, a thoughtful and personal show of gratitude can be worth its weight in gold.

Here we will look at some ideas for gratitude gifts that will beautifully express just how thankful you are.

A gift that can be kept and treasured will always remind them of the positive emotions they experienced when it was received.

Handmade gifts:

Frame a picture – find a meaningful photograph that evokes positive memories for you and more importantly the person who is the focus of your gratitude.
Gift a packet of seeds, flowers from your garden, or a plant and every time they tend to them they will remember you for this simple act of gratitude – you don’t have to spend a lot of money to show someone how much you appreciate them.
Bring over lunch – preparing meals, especially if you’re stressed and overworked, can be a chore. Don’t you know someone who’d be delighted if you’d surprise them with a tasty lunch?
A journal – a journal can be a beautiful gift, the recipient can either fill it with their own feeling of gratitude and continue the gratitude cycle or as a normal journal for their thoughts and musings. Each time they pick it up they will know that you are grateful to have them in your life.
A little jar full of thanks – fill jar with gratitude notes and that special person can read one a day (or whenever they feel like they need a boost) – imagine starting each day knowing you are appreciated.
A gift of encouragement – maybe the object of your appreciation has started a new hobby or enjoys painting, why not gift them that brush they’ve had their eye on or another related item that they’ll really appreciate.
A playlist of their favorite songs or music that means something to both of you and evokes the very best memories you have together.
52 gratitude cards – this one might take some time and effort, but it really is the gift that keeps giving – even when you aren’t there in person. They can open up a card each week for an entire year!

Gifts to buy:

Gift a book – if that person is an avid reader, buy a copy of their favorite book, you can take this a step further and write a note of appreciation on one of the pages, or tuck your gratitude letter between the pages. (See this list of best gratitude books for ideas!)
Find out their favorite restaurant or place to shop and get them a gift card to indulge.
Give them tickets to see the latest movie , their favorite sports team, or a ballet/opera/musical.
A scented candle with their favorite fragrance, whether it’s a neighbor, a coworker, a friend or loved one who could use a lift, this is a wonderful way to show your gratitude for all this person means to you.
A board game or jigsaw you can complete/play together – knowing that you want to spend time with them is a great way to make someone feel appreciated.

People who cultivate and consciously participate in gratitude are more patient, make better decisions, develop better relationships and generally feel more positive and optimistic about their lives than those who do not (Emmons & Stern, 2013).

If you are thinking about ways you can gain more enjoyment from life, a good starting point to propel you into a grateful way of life is a 21 day gratitude challenge (or longer if you so choose!).

The gratitude challenge helps cultivate gratitude by encouraging us to actively seek out all the things that are good in life and practice the expression of appreciation.

A Meaningful Challenge For You

There are countless versions of the gratitude challenge, meaning there is something to suit everyone – some are more structured, giving you specific exercises to follow each day , others are far less so. While each version is different from the next, they all share the same idea; every day for three weeks, focus on the things or people you are grateful to have in your life, and then express your gratitude for them.

If the idea of practicing gratitude is completely new to you, a more structured challenge can help you to negotiate the initial uncertain stage and prompt you to start really paying attention to the world around you. The gratitude challenge helps cultivate a state of mindfulness and appreciation for the simple things and to recognize the positive aspects of even the most difficult and challenging situations.

Your challenge could include gratitude meditation and yoga, both have been found to promote a tendency towards gratitude as a quality of mindfulness and have been found to produce elevated experiences of love and thankfulness (Shapiro, Schwartz, & Santerre, 2002).

Taking It Further

Why stop at 21 days? Once you have experienced the positive emotions that go hand in hand with the challenge don’t be surprised if you want to continue long after the 3 weeks are up.

The ultimate goal of the gratitude challenge is to make people happier and to gain more enjoyment from life by consciously developing gratitude. Really, there is no right or wrong way to take part in a gratitude challenge, simply begin and discover what comes naturally to you.

We are all guilty of letting the stresses of daily life get in the way of recognizing and expressing gratitude, we often forget to stop and think about the things we are most grateful for. While the journey to gratefulness may not happen overnight, these tips will help focus your attention on setting your own personal gratitude challenge.

The first moments of the day are often when we feel most focused before the tasks of the day take their toll. Try introducing a morning gratitude ritual that allows you to start the day grounded in gratitude. This could be as simple as taking a few moments to focus on the positive, ask yourself, ‘what am I grateful for today?’
Appreciate the small things; it’s not just about the big stuff. Write a list that is unique to you and where you are in your life right now. This can include family, friends, health, your community – even the weather!
Develop your own mindfulness session and practice ‘being in the moment’, focus your attention on the ways that life is good right now rather than thinking too much about the future. The trick is to picture it in your mind and immerse yourself in the feeling of gratitude.
Appreciate the good and the bad – while much of the gratitude challenge is about positive experiences, thinking about difficult situations can really help you to appreciate the good.
Have a daily recap – spend some time writing down the things you are grateful for before going to bed. Writing down all those thoughts is a good way to keep track of the positives in your life and you can look back on them at any time.
Download an app – there are multiple gratitude challenge apps available that help focus your attention, record your appreciation and send friendly reminders to encourage your gratitude development.
Use a gratitude challenge calendar – many of these have daily prompts to help focus your mind on all the things you might not even consider.

How often do we thank our parents for everything they’ve done for us? It can be easy to take the guidance, support and love of parents for granted. Why not take the time to brainstorm the things you are grateful for and why you value them so much, then put pen to paper.

To help you get started, here are some letter of gratitude ideas for thanking parents.

Remember specifics – recalling a specific memory that fills you with appreciation is much more effective than a general ‘Thank You’. Think of the little things, from teaching you to tie your laces to reading bedtime stories – the fact that you remember these small moments will mean so much.
Include inspirational quotes that reflect your feelings of gratitude.
Think of some prompts to help guide your writing, like ‘I always remember when you…’, ‘I am so thankful for…’ and ‘I am inspired by your…’
Think of the life lessons they’ve taught you – how have these impacted you?
Thanking your parents for their time – did your parents drive you to practice every weekend? Or stand at the sidelines cheering you on? Tell them how much it meant and still means to you.
The way they make you feel, both now and as a child, it may seem obvious but relaying just how special your parents make you feel is something they have likely never heard before.
Finish off by reiterating just how grateful you are.

The important thing is to be sincere and make it personal, only you know what your parents will value hearing the most.

An experiment in gratitude – Participant

In today’s modern world, technology allows us to take our expressions of gratitude to the global stage by way of email or even social media posts. These avenues may be preferred if you aren’t sure when you will see the individual or if you wish to express gratitude to a group, wherein writing individual letters or emails may not be a practical or timely approach.

It’s tempting to ramble on when writing an email, especially when the subject matter may prompt some self-consciousness – we have a tendency to dance around the subject of import. A gratitude email doesn’t need to be long, focus on succinct sincerity and always proofread before hitting ‘send’ as typos can diminish the sentiment behind the gesture.

The sample below is just to give you an example of a short gratitude email – every situation will vary. Remember to be specific and avoid generalized statements, ‘Thanks for all your help putting together the [Client name] project’ , is better than ‘Thanks for all your help’ .

Include how their actions helped you, or in the case of a workplace, how their actions impacted positively on a business deliverable.

Subject: Thank you! Dear Tommy I just wanted to write you a quick email to say thank you very much for all your help putting together last week’s client proposal I really appreciate the hard work you put into getting the graphics just right and the clients seemed equally impressed when we pitched this morning. Keep up the great work and I look forward to working closely with you on future projects. Many thanks, John

You may choose to opt for a social media post if want to express gratitude to a large group. Connecting via social media removes any geographical restrictions while also allowing you to address a wider audience. The private message function found on most social media platforms also provides an avenue to connect directly if you’d rather not post publicly.

If it’s a friend, remember to drop the formality you may feel compelled to include in workplace expressions.

The examples below can be used to get you thinking about how to express gratitude on social media either directly or via a public post.

Direct message: You’re the best! Thanks so much for giving me a lift yesterday; I don’t know what I’d have done without you! Post: So thankful to all my wonderful friends who helped me moving house. I really couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Social media also represents a novel arena in which to record daily gratitude posts. Remember, the expression itself will promote subjective wellbeing; your expressions need not be individual or even group-directed.

An example could be ‘Today I’m grateful for caffeine, bringer of life, and for my parents who looked after the kids last night so I could get a decent night’s sleep!’

You can even include a prompt such as ‘Let me know what you’re grateful for’ to encourage those that see your post to engage with it positively – every time you get a notification of a like or comment you’re revisiting and reinforcing the positivity that expressing gratitude yields.

Related: The 34 Best TED Talks And Videos on The Power of Gratitude

The following links can help you access stories about gratitude… enjoy.

In this story on Forbes.com, Homayun relays how reading John Krilak’s book called ‘A Simple Act of Gratitude’ helped him to cope with his life following the sudden death of his father. The book inspired him to think about the people he should thank, and subsequently, he wrote thank-you notes to these people.
This website gives some background information about gratitude, which is interesting. It also contains links to three stories about gratitude – Aesop’s “ Androcles and the Lion ”, a folktale from Japan called “ The Grateful Crane” and “ King Midas and the Golden Touch”.
This article , appearing in the Reader’s Digest, is an inspiring story about a teacher’s experience of setting her class a task in which they reflected upon what they had to be thankful for.
This is essentially a children’s story, however reading “ An Octopus in Trouble ” is a heart-warming way to capture the power of gratitude in just a few minutes.

In an ideal world the things we are most grateful for would always be at the front of our minds, unfortunately that isn’t always the case. But all is not lost! Sometimes all we need are some gentle reminders to guide our thoughts in the right direction.

If this sounds like you, the following inspiring reflections for gratitude will help focus your attention on your own feelings and encourage you to think about some of the insights others have had on the concept.

Inspiring Reflections On Gratitude:

Think of a time when someone was kind to you, what emotions did you experience? Take 60 seconds to feel your gratitude.
Ask 3 other people what they are grateful for.
Take a walk and use the time to clear your mind, take some deep breaths and think about the things around you that make your feel grateful. What are you grateful for in nature?
What memory are you grateful for? Why are you grateful for that experience?
What challenge in your life are you grateful for?
What small thing that happened today are you grateful for?
Take a moment to consider the people around you, what makes you feel grateful to have them in your life?
Think about why you want to experience and express gratitude, what benefits mean the most to you?
Think about how expressing more gratitude has positively impacted you.

Inspiring quotes on gratitude:

“It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.”

David Steindl-Rast

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Robert Brault

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Melody Beattie

“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

Albert Schweitzer

Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.”

Henri Frederic Amiel

The expression of gratitude is an exercise in positive psychology and like all exercises, repetition and practice make perfect. Ingratitude is the “essence of vileness,” wrote the philosopher Immanuel Kant while David Hume opined that ingratitude is:

“the most horrible and unnatural crime that a person is capable of committing.”

By exercising methods of expressing everyday gratitude you not only reap the rewards in terms of promoting a positive mental state while reducing negativity, but also get into the habit of focusing on the positive – in time it can become second nature.

The following are five simple ways that we can embed the expression of gratitude into our daily routines:

Keep a gratitude journal. Amid the humdrum and bustle of modern life, it’s easy to forget the small acts of kindness we receive. By mentally revisiting and recording these events, we reinforce the positive impact and can revisit it to remind ourselves of how much we have to be thankful for and, in turn, find expressing gratitude a more natural response.
Remember to express your gratitude in person. This may seem an obvious one but it’s easy to forget to verbalize or otherwise show your appreciation to friends, colleagues or clients in the day-to-day. Expressions don’t have to be extravagant, simply stopping for a moment to let someone know you are grateful helps foster an environment of gratitude and is another simple way to get into the habit of expressing everyday gratitude.
Be respectful and treat others with the level of courtesy you would like to receive. As children we’re taught to treat those around us how we would like to be treated. This mantra can serve you well in your day to day expressions of gratitude. While we can express gratitude through directly telling someone we are thankful, how we conduct ourselves and our actions provide another avenue for the expression of gratitude.
Remember to smile, be patient, listen and express kindness whenever possible. Next time you’re heading on the coffee run, offer to bring back drinks for your colleagues – this lets them know you value them and chances are next time they’re on the coffee dash they’ll return the favor and you can be on the receiving end of some gratitude.
Try not to complain. We have a tendency to focus on the negative; we’re evolutionarily hardwired to focus on the events which yielded negative outcomes so we can avoid them in future (Seligman, 2012). Every time we complain we’re reinforcing a negative state of mind, making it more difficult to feel and express gratitude. Remember some things are out with your control and focus on something positive instead.

Gratitude is one of the primary elements of positive psychology… and for a very good reason.

Research has shown time and time again that gratitude, or even just saying ‘thank you,’ has several mental and physical benefits (Wong & Brown, 2017).

Specifically, showing gratitude allows individuals to strengthen social ties, experience an increase in self-worth, block toxic emotions (Froh et al. 2010), and be seen as kind and helpful by others (Bartlett & DeSteno, 2006). Contrary to popular belief, practicing gratitude does not just entail one simple step of saying thank you.

Practicing genuine gratitude consists of:

1. Noticing the things you are grateful for 2. Thinking about why you are grateful for this and why this happened to you 3. Feeling all the emotions that come with experiencing gratitude 4. Doing something in return to make someone else feel grateful

Notably, experiencing gratitude does not just stem from another person simply doing something nice for you. You can also practice gratitude about your different life circumstances, for example, being grateful for your opportunity to get an education.

The next time you practice gratitude, make sure you are paying attention to each of these four components.

The workplace can be a significant source of negative emotions which in turn can lead to stress, malaise and general dissatisfaction (Ganster & Schaubroeck, 1991). While your work activities may be constrained to the ‘four walls’ of your work environment, your emotional state is unbounded by the physical. You can leave your work at work, but your emotions persist regardless of your spatial placement.

Fostering a positive emotional environment doesn’t have to blow the departmental budget, one simplistic gratitude technique gaining in popularity is to display a gratitude bulletin board in the workplace. To set this up all you need is a physical board, a bit of wall-space and (depending on the type of board) pens, post-it notes or pins.

Getting Started

When setting up your gratitude board, remember to place it somewhere prominent to help achieve maximum visual impact.

Many people struggle expressing gratitude – especially in formal environments such as a place of work where professionalism may inhibit such expressions (Frohman, 2009) – so it’s a good idea to kick-start the process by adding as many gratification notices as you can, being as inclusive as possible, to encourage colleagues to follow suit.

How many times have you found yourself utterly drained and emotionally defeated on the homeward bound commute? Or been in your place of work, feeling under-appreciated and trying to muster the motivation to maintain cordiality and carry out your tasks?

By providing a medium through which to express gratitude, you and your colleagues can take the opportunity to post a note on the board to say what it is that you’re grateful for.

Gratitude Boards 2.0

What can you do if your team isn’t centralized? Perhaps your work takes you on the road for extended periods. Perhaps you are part of a virtual team (VT). Well, modern problems call for modern solutions. While it lacks the visual impact of a physical gratitude board, creating an additional ‘gratitude’ group chat with your colleagues can achieve a very similar outcome.

Work is a huge part of our lives! That’s why it’s as, if-not-more, important to try to promote a positive emotional environment for yourself and those around you. By applying techniques which encourage the expression of gratitude, everyone can feel appreciated and positive, turning the daily grind into the daily grin.

The gratitude visit represents one of the most well researched and validated examples of the positive outcomes that gratitude can have yield for an individual’s wellbeing.

Thrust into the spotlight by one of the founding fathers of positive psychology and former president of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Martin Seligman (2012), the gratitude visit combines both introspective reflection and the outward expression of gratitude in an exercise that will increase your happiness and reduce levels of depression in as little as a month.

Furthermore, studies show that for a full month after a gratitude visit, happiness levels tend to go up, while boredom and other negative feelings go down.

In fact, the gratitude visit is more effective than any other exercise in positive psychology (Tomasulo, 2011).

Simply put, the gratitude visit consists of writing and delivering a letter to a person whom you appreciate.

To start, take a moment to reflect on the positive impact others have had on your life. Focus on a time when perhaps you weren’t able to thank the individual properly or until now had let the good deed go unrecognized.

Your next task involves writing a letter of gratitude to the individual emphasizing how you recognize the positive impact that their actions had on you, how it helped you and how you still recall what they did.

Not to be remiss, give the individual a call and check if and when they would be available for a face-to-face visit. While an out-of-the-blue contact may raise questions, try not to get into specifics about why you would like to visit, the gratitude visit has the greatest oomph when it comes as a surprise to the recipient.

Next, the visit! While you may feel self-conscious, the positive psychological outcome for both yourself and the individual to whom you’re expressing gratitude will outweigh any temporary feelings of embarrassment.

Take your time and personally read the letter you’ve written – giving them the physical letter is a nice touch as it allows them to revisit the moment as an when they wish.

Findings by Seligman (2012) indicated that the positive outcomes of a gratitude visit are myriad and include; increasing our sense of wellbeing, enhancing our relationship with the gratitude recipient, helping us alter the way we think about past events – with a focus on the positive rather than negative, prompting an immediate sense of wellbeing and encouraging us to think about the future in a more positive manner.

Of course there are occasions when expressing gratitude is more of a focus than others, Christmas and Thanksgiving for example, are times of the of year that resonate with an abundance of messages relaying gratitude. Family, friends, and even complete strangers convey their appreciation towards one another, and while this collective expression of gratitude is heartwarming, why should it be confined to just a few times a year?

With this in mind let’s explore Gratitude Day, a day to encourage the celebration of gratitude for all things great and small, in a whole host of ways.

World Gratitude Day was first conceived in 1965; it was later adopted by the United Nations Meditation Group and has been celebrated by a growing number of people on the 21st September every year since.

How To Take Part

How you choose to celebrate World Gratitude Day is entirely up to you, and that’s part of the beauty. Simply taking some time to positively reflect on the people and things we are grateful for can impact us in a multitude of ways, most importantly by improving our wellbeing and making us happier people.

Whether you choose to take a moment to think about the blessings you are grateful for, or verbally express your gratitude to others, immersing yourself in the practice of gratitude helps you be aware of the positives in your life and encourages regular practice (Allen, 2018).

Living a grateful life takes time and practice, but with commitment and participating in days such as this, you can cultivate the attitude of gratitude into your daily life.

Put it in your diary! World Gratitude Day – Saturday 21st September, 2019.

17 Exercises To Nurture Gratitude & Appreciation

Empower others with more hope, satisfaction, and fulfilling relationships with these 17 Gratitude & Appreciation Exercises [PDF] that harness the powerful benefits of gratitude.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

After your taste of expressing gratitude on Gratitude Day, you may find Gratitude Month helps cement your gratitude practices. Running through the month of November, Gratitude Month is an exercise that encourages the daily practice of gratitude, encouraging the reciprocal cycle of appreciation.

Focusing on gratitude is a great way to spend a month and creates a habit of positive thinking – a means to help navigate the stresses and chaos of daily life.

During Gratitude Month, people are encouraged to journal their gratitude, participate in charity work, and give back to their community. At first you might struggle to think of what you are truly grateful for but that’s why it’s so important – through practice the act of gratitude becomes easier.

The important thing is to keep your mind focused on your feelings of gratitude, practice expressing your gratitude and in time you will develop a tendency towards a grateful life.

A Take-Home Message

Based on the advice we are given as children when learning to cross the road, Steindl-Rast (2013) offers practical advice for living gratefully, moment by moment.

STOP: We rush through life and miss opportunities because we don’t stop to recognize and act on them.
LOOK: We must use all our senses to enjoy the richness that life has given to us.
GO: We should do whatever life offers to us in that present moment. Sometimes that might be difficult, but we should go with it and do our best to enjoy every moment.

The positive impacts of expressing gratitude are long-lasting, grateful people and those who receive gratitude are likely to experience greater psychological, spiritual, and physical wellbeing.

If we fail to appreciate the things we take for granted and continue the search for more ‘stuff’ that might make us happy in the future, will that search ever really end?

I hope you’ve enjoyed discovering more about how best to express gratitude and the benefits of doing so! Let us know in the comments how you express gratitude to the people in your life.

For further reading:

The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How It Affects Anxiety & Grief
The Gratitude Tree for Kids

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Gratitude Exercises for free .

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Allen, S. (2018, May). The science of gratitude. Retrieved from https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdf
Bartlett, M. Y., Condon, P., Cruz, J., Baumann, J., & Desteno, D. (2012). Gratitude: Prompting behaviours that build relationships. Cognition and Emotion, 26 (1), 2-13.
Bartlett, M. Y., & DeSteno, D. (2006). Gratitude and prosocial behavior: Helping when it costs you. Psychological Science, 17(4) , 319-325.
Cullis, L. (2015, November 1). YJ Gratitude challenge: Build a simple daily practice. Yoga Journal . Retrieved from https://www.yogajournal.com/meditation/2015-yj-gratitude-challenge
Emmons, R. A. (2004). The psychology of gratitude (pp. 3-16) . New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: Experimental studies of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 377-389.
Emmons, R. A., & Stern, R. (2013). Gratitude as a psychotherapeutic intervention. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69 (8), 846-855.
Froh, J. J., Bono, G., & Emmons, R. (2010). Being grateful is beyond good manners: Gratitude and motivation to contribute to society among early adolescents. Motivation and Emotion, 34 , 144-157.
Ganster, D. C., & Schaubroeck, J. (1991). Work stress and employee health. Journal of Management, 17 (2), 235-271.
Grant, A. M., & Gino, F. (2010). A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 98 (6), 946-955.
Hill, P. L., Allemand, M., & Roberts, B. W. (2013). Examining the pathways between gratitude and self-rated physical health across adulthood. Personality and Individual Differences, 54 (1), 92-96.
Kong, F., Ding, K., & Zhao, J. (2015). The relationships among gratitude, self-esteem, social support and life satisfaction among undergraduate students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16 (2), 477-489.
Lambert, N. M., Clark, M. S., Durtschi, J., Fincham, F. D., & Graham, S. M. (2010). Benefits of expressing gratitude: Expressing gratitude to a partner changes one’s view of the relationship. Psychological Science, 21 (4), 574-580.
Peterson, C., Park, N. & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Approaches to happiness: The full life versus the empty life. Unpublished manuscript.
Rowland, L., & Curry, O. S. (2019). A range of kindness activities boost happiness. The Journal of Social Psychology, 159 (3), 340-343.
Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010). Gratitude and well being: The benefits of appreciation. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 7 (11), 18-22.
Seligman, M. E. P. (2012). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.
Shapiro, S. L., Schwartz, G., & Santerre, C. (2002). Meditation and positive psychology. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 632-645). London, UK: Oxford University Press.
Steindl-Rast, D. (2013). Want to be happy? Be grateful. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/david_steindl_rast_want_to_be_happy_be_grateful
Thoits, P. A., & Hewitt, L. N. (2001). Volunteer work and well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 42 (2), 115-131.
Tomasulo, D. J. (2011). The Virtual Gratitude Visit (VGV): Psychodrama in action. Psychology Today . Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-healing-crowd/201112/the-virtual-gratitude-visit-vgv-psychodrama-in-action.
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Dr. Jane Goodall sitting at her desk in her tent in the Gombe National Forest

Each evening in her tent, researcher Jane Goodall would write up data from her field notebooks, recounting the chimpanzee behavior she observed that day. Immerse yourself in a replica of Jane’s research camp at “Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall,” an exhibition organized by National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute. The exhibition is open at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT from December 7, 2023 through May 27, 2024. Photo by Hugo Van Lawick, Jane Goodall Institute

Murray 7th Grade Student Wins Opportunity to Meet Dr. Jane Goodall

Lily Peterson was selected as the winner of the “Inspired by Jane” Essay Contest

SALT LAKE CITY, April 1, 2023 – On March 30, Lily Peterson, a Mountain Heights Academy 7th grader from Murray, Utah, was ushered backstage to meet her inspiration, the world-renowned Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace. In the meeting, Peterson presented an issue she hopes to address in Utah, and Peterson then wished Goodall a happy 90 th birthday on April 3. This rare opportunity came about after the Utah student won an essay contest hosted by the Natural History Museum of Utah and its partners, the Jane Goodall Institute and my529 Utah’s Educational Savings Plan ,

As the winner of NHMU’s "Inspired by Jane" Essay Contest, Peterson’s essay, which highlights challenges faced by wild mustangs in the Mountain West, rose to the top of more than 280 submissions from 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in Utah who were asked to respond to the writing prompt: “Knowing all that Dr. Jane Goodall as accomplished in her life so far. tell us what positive impact you hope to make in the world by your 90th birthday.”

“The Natural History Museum of Utah congratulates Lily Peterson for her outstanding accomplishment and wishes her continued success in her academic and professional endeavors,” said Dr. Jason Cryan, The Sarah B. George Executive Director of NHMU. “Lily's passion and determination serve as an inspiration to her peers and the whole community, reminding us all of the power of youth in making a difference.”

Peterson’s winning essay showcases her passion for veterinary science and her commitment to advocating for the well-being of mustangs in and around Utah. Her dedication is evident in her completion of an online class in equine welfare and management with UC Davis, a remarkable achievement for a student of her age. Peterson’s achievement in winning the "Inspired by Jane" Essay Contest is a testament to her exceptional talent in writing and critical thinking.

“Being given the opportunity to meet Dr. Jane Goodall has been an incredible experience,” said Peterson. “I admire her because of all she has done as a scientist, conservationist, and activist. As an animal lover I am thankful that she has proven that animals have feelings and emotions too. I loved being able to talk with her one on one about her own childhood experience with horses. It was so special to meet someone who worked so hard to make their own big childhood dreams come true. It is a moment I will never forget, and for which I am very thankful.”

For her first-place prize, Lily traveled to Seattle, WA, on an all-expenses-paid trip to attend Goodall’s public lecture on March 30 and meet her after the event. In addition to this once-in-a-lifetime experience, Lily will also receive a $1,000 college savings certificate provided by my529, empowering her to continue her educational journey. my529 Utah’s Educational Savings Plan is designed to assist families, friends, and individuals in investing for a beneficiary’s future higher education.

Goodall’s legacy in the fields of science and conservation are celebrated in Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall , a special exhibition open at the Natural History Museum of Utah until May 27, 2024. As featured in the exhibition, Goodall is now as famous for her work inspiring hope and action among the youth of the world, as she is for her groundbreaking research of wild chimpanzees.

As the world wishes Goodall a 90 th birthday on April 3, NHMU is happy to celebrate her ongoing inspiration on the youth of the world, like Peterson and her own vision for change.

Becoming Jane is free with the cost of admission to the Museum and always free to members. For tickets and more information about Becoming Jane , please visit: nhmu.utah.edu/jane.

About the Natural History Museum of Utah

The Natural History Museum of Utah is one of the leading scientific research and cultural institutions in the country. Established in 1963, the museum’s 10 permanent exhibitions are anchored by its state-of-the-art collections and research facilities containing almost 2 million objects. These collections are used in studies on geological, biological, and cultural diversity, and the history of living systems and human cultures within the Utah region. The museum hosts approximately 300,000 general visitors a year and provides one of the most spectacular private event settings in the Salt Lake City area. NHMU also broadens the reach of its mission through a variety of science-based outreach programs to communities and schools throughout Utah, reaching every school district in the state every other year.

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NHMU to Open “Becoming Jane” an Immersive Multimedia Exhibition on the Legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall

Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Jane Goodall is open at NHMU from December 7, 2023 - May 27, 2024 celebrating Dr. Goodall's legacy of science and conservation.

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FAQ of Gratitude Essay. Question 1: Why is gratitude important? Answer 1: Gratitude is strongly and constantly connected with greater happiness. It is what helps people feel more positive emotions, appreciate good experiences, advance their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
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3. Recognize the value of benefits. Teachers can also foster gratitude by reminding students that when others help us, they are providing us with "gifts.". This is one reason why, in our gratitude curriculum, we prompt students to focus on the personal value of the kind acts of others.
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Murray 7th Grade Student Wins Opportunity to Meet Dr. Jane Goodall
Lily Peterson was selected as the winner of the "Inspired by Jane" Essay Contest. SALT LAKE CITY, April 1, 2023 - On March 30, Lily Peterson, a Mountain Heights Academy 7th grader from Murray, Utah, was ushered backstage to meet her inspiration, the world-renowned Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN ...

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