Imagine if you could lose weight just by being happy? Become able to
forgive easier? Boost your self-esteem? Research shows that by being
grateful, you can obtain all of these things. Gratitude takes us outside
our comfort zone so we can see ourselves as part of a larger,
complicated system full of reciprocal sustaining relationships. It helps
you not only feel good, but inspire you to do good.
Dr Robert Emmons is a research professor at the University of
California, Davis and expert on the scientifically-measured benefits of
gratitude. In addition to “Gratitude Works!,” he is the author of four
books. Recent news headlines show the happiness industry is alive and
flourishing in the United States and Emmons has research on gratitude
from more than a decade to back that up.
In his new book, “Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating
Emotional Prosperity,” Emmons shares that becoming more grateful
requires you to train your mind and training requires practice.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota estimated the heritability of
gratitude at about 40 percent so mental discipline is mandatory because
gratitude is not an easy virtue to accomplish, but the outcome is worth
the effort. He found that gratitude heals, energizes and transforms
lives in countless ways and is a key link between receiving and giving.
A guidebook for how to obtain these virtues, “Gratitude Works!,” weaves
together Emmons’ wisdom with his own research, as well as stories of
others who possess the qualities of gratitude, to set individuals on the
path to gratefulness. In Emmons’ research, he found when people report
feeling grateful, thankful and appreciative in their daily lives, they
also feel more loving, forgiving, joyful and enthusiastic. Also,
helpfulness, optimism, trustworthiness and an outgoing personality are
directly correlated with gratefulness.
Gratitude journaling was famously publicized by Oprah Winfrey in the
late 1990s but now there is research evidence of what works and what
does not. Emmons found that people who keep gratitude journals are 25
percent happier, they sleep one-half hour more per evening and they
exercise 33 percent more each week compared to those who don’t keep
journals. Gratitude impacts every aspect of life, including spending.
Restaurant bills on which the server writes “thank you” produce tips
that are as much as 11 percent higher than do bills without an
expression of gratitude.
Wiley
Mike Onorato, 201-748-6361
Associate Director - Publicity
monorato@wiley.com