When you’re grateful to someone, do you tell them? It turns out that if you do, you could be on your way to becoming happier. Studies have found that, whether expressed in the written word or in person, gratitude increases happiness and “pro-social” behavior that enables people to be empathetic and generous.
In this video, an agency called Soul Pancake asked people to write down as much as they could about someone who had made a powerful positive impression on their life, and then asked them to share their appreciation with that person. They tested people before and after the exercise and found that happiness increased dramatically when people were allowed to express their gratitude.
Some other interesting findings in the link between gratitude and happiness include:
- Frequent opportunity to express gratitude leads to increased well-being, better health, better exercise habits, higher life satisfaction and increased optimism.
- Those who are more grateful not only perceive the environment to be more benevolent, but actually make it so by helping others more frequently and accumulating social capital.
- A one-time act of thoughtful gratitude produces an immediate 10% increase in happiness and 35% reduction in depressive symptoms that lasts for months.
Just think of the effects that could come from creating a culture where employees not only feel appreciated, but are also encouraged to share their gratitude with others. Having happier employees means a more productive workplace, which is better for your company’s well-being and bottom line.
Read more about the link between happiness and gratitude.
http://www.globoforce.com/gfblog/2013/the-essential-link-between-happiness-and-gratitude/
