“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” – Cicero (106 BC – 43 BC), ‘Pro Plancio,’ 54 B.C.

Research shows (see articles by Martin Seligman, Robert Emmons, and on this website) that the best predictor of “happiness” and life satisfaction is the degree of gratitude experienced and expressed by the individual.  In other words, to begin to raise your life satisfaction, be thankful for the good things already in your life!

I’ve given talks to crowds large and small, in school, corporations and even in prisons, and I’ve found that the audiences have a common denominator (several, really).  People are fascinated when they hear about the difference that simple gratitude can make in one’s life.  Just to illustrate the research that has been done in this area, it has been shown that life satisfaction increases (as measured on a psychological test) over the course of as little as six weeks, if a person takes just a few minutes each week to write down the good things that have happened during that 7-day period. Ironically, the research shows that doing this one night a week was more beneficial than doing this three nights a week. (In a future article I will address the research by on how life satisfaction efforts must be a good fit for each individual).

At first, I thought the items on my gratitude list would have to be major and highly significant—a prestigious award or unexpected gift—but within a few minutes, I realized that I’m grateful for health, and good neighbors, and a job that interests me, and so on.  Even though I don’t use paper and pencil to list these things anymore, I make a deliberate practice of thinking about them as I ready myself for sleep.  Leading this mental list is always the smile on my granddaughter’s face, and enormous appreciation for the experience of being a grandfather.  That little girl has made a wonderful difference in my life, and she always appears in the list of experiences that I’m grateful for, so I don’t mean you must always find something new—but rather that you find something new you appreciate about each thing on your list.

As I’ve talked around the country, and the topic of gratitude comes up, I have heard the lists of a number of people dealing with really tough situations.  Cancer patients seem to be grateful for so many things we all take for granted!  I find myself revising and expanding my own list, based on my experience with people who are making the most of every minute of the day.  My list grows longer as I recognize the long list of things others appreciate that I’d forgotten!

Without much effort though, I can list half a dozen things at the end of the day that have increased my life satisfaction, but what about those audiences I’ve talked to in prisons—what do they have to be thankful for?
Interestingly, I had one gentleman approach me recently after a talk I’d given, to say that he was most grateful to be locked up.  “I would probably be dead, or maybe would have killed someone, if I had not been arrested and brought here,” he told me.  “I’m learning a job now, and I’m learning how to get along with other people, and to be patient.   I was never a patient person out in the world, but I’m learning that here, and I’m grateful for that.”  Another man told me, “You’ve probably never heard this before, but I’m pretty grateful for the guards (correctional officers), because they make this a safer place to be—as safe as it can be, at least.”  I was impressed by the insight of these men, and when I counted my own blessings that evening, I thought about what my liberty means to me, and recognized a debt of gratitude for the contribution these prisoners made to my understanding of a world I never hope to see first hand.

For more about gratitude, and ways to express and experience this life-altering attitude, watch for articles on this website.  You can assess your own level of gratitude (and many other character strengths) as part of the Values In Action (VIA) Signature Strengths Survey at:
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx