The New Science of Gratitude

You've heard that an attitude of gratitude can make you happier, but how do you remain grateful in the midst of loss or adversity? According to Dr. Robert Emmons, author of Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, it's important to distinguish between feeling grateful and having an attitude of gratefulness towards life in general. This "broader perspective… can get us through these times, so that we look back upon them and see them as potential gifts," he offers.
 
Emmons recommends asking yourself, is there something in this situation that I might feel grateful for in some small way? Is there something that I can do to feel grateful? I don't have to, but I can if I want to. It might make me feel better and it certainly won't do any harm.
 
Remind yourself, too, of gratitude’s interpersonal benefits—all of which can help you through tough times. "You feel more connected to others. You feel a greater sense of obligation to go out and do something that's useful or beneficial. You sleep better," reports Emmons. "The benefits just seem limitless."
 
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