With the rush of our everyday lives, it's easy to take someone else's support, love, or presence for granted — or simply forget to thank them.
But did you know gratitude makes you happier?
One psychologist at UPenn asked people to write and deliver letters of gratitude as part of a positive intervention study. When measured within a pool of 411 participants — control participants documented early memories — the people who wrote Thank You notes experienced a long-lasting increase in happiness.
Another 2003 study showed participants who kept gratitude journals were more likely to exercise, feel better — mentally and physically — and were overall "more optimistic about the upcoming week compared to those who recorded hassles or neutral life events."
Positive psychology researcher and happiness author Shawn Achor even put a number on this theory. His study found a daily recording of gratitude for 21 days straight can result in a lift of optimism— for up to six months!
Amazing, right?
Still not convinced? Here's a great video about it (keep tissues nearby):
So what are you waiting for?
There's a whole world out there that can benefit from your gratitude. Including you.
On September 21st, we celebrated World Gratitude Day — an incredible day when we have the opportunity to say "thank you" to those who matter most in our lives. But you can say "thanks" any day of the year.
Take a sec, say "thanks."