Last year, when we were fortunate to have my nephews with us for Thanksgiving, I made up a little game.  I had slips of paper with ordinary items, such as “onion”, “pencil”, “baseball cap”, “bus”, or “deodorant” on it. The challenge was to pick a slip and talk about why you’re grateful for this item.  Completing one minute gave you one point, and two minutes was two points.  While the game gave us a lot of good laughs (thanks Eli and Leo), it also brought a bit of awareness to the wonder and beauty of even the simplest of things.  While we tend to give thanks to the big picture items, as of course we should, it’s sometimes worth acknowledging the things we often take for granted.  Cultivating gratitude is an important step to feeling happy, and today’s post will hopefully inspire you to the many varied types of gratitude we can be more aware of. 

There is a lot of research evidence over the past decade indicating that people who count their blessings are happier and less depressed.  Recently, studies looking at people who were already depressed or experiencing mental health issues also benefited from activities that were designed to bring emotions of gratitude. Research using MRI imaging shows lasting brain changes when people engage in gratitude practices.  As one researcher, Martin Seligman put it:   “Gratitude is all about recognizing the good things in your life.  It can have a powerful role in your health and well being.  The good news is that practicing gratitude isn’t difficult; just setting aside a few minutes each day to focus on the good things that happened and what you’re thankful for.”

Another researcher focused on gratitude, Joel Wong, made a list of questions to be used as prompts to help people in the practice of gratitude journaling. I found it interesting to see the range of different types of gratitude, some I had never thought about before. 

Micro Gratitude:  Refers to appreciating small everyday moments and details in life.  Examples may be a warm cup of coffee, a simple kind word from a stranger, or a pretty sunset.  Micro Gratitude is good for helping with mindfulness, being more present and aware of little joys in daily life.

Examples of Micro Gratitude Questions:

1. What went well this week? 

2. What are some simple, potentially mundane things that contribute to my wellbeing?

3. What are some good things in my life that I’ve taken for granted?

4. What are some things in my home that give me with a sense of comfort? 

5. What do I like about the chair or table that I’m currently using?

7. What do I like about my office/classroom? 

8. What do I like about the neighborhood I live in?

9. What is my favorite place in town?

Macro Gratitude:  Refers to appreciating the big life events and achievements or big picture items.  Some examples include graduation, getting married, or overcoming a big challenge.  Macro gratitude helps give us perspective about life and underscore our resilience and strengths.  

Examples of Macro Gratitude Questions:

1. [Think about the major events in your life] What am I most grateful for in these events? 

2. [Think about a turning point in your life] What am I most grateful for in this event? 

3. Who or what changed my life for the better?

4. What aspect of my past has prepared me well to handle my current or future challenges? 

5. What is something bad that could have happened but didn’t happen in my life? 

6. Which childhood event in my life contributed positively to my current life? 

7. Which event during my adolescence contributed positively to my current life?

8. Who has had the most positive influence on my life? 

9. In what ways is my life a gift? In what ways have I experienced grace (undeserved favor) from life, others, or a higher power?

Interpersonal Gratitude:  Refers to feelings of thankfulness or appreciation directed towards another person, specifically when they have performed an act or provided support highlighting gratitude within relationships.  This type of gratitude can strengthen bonds and develop a sense of community.  Examples include thanking a friend for listening to your problems, telling your partner how much you appreciate them, or acknowledging the support of a colleague on a project.

Examples of Interpersonal Gratitude Questions:

1. Which of my teachers/mentors contributed positively to my life?

2. Who puts a smile on my face?

3. Who makes me laugh? 

4. Who do I enjoy hanging out with?

5. Who appreciates me? 

6. Who makes me feel like I truly matter?

7. In what ways do my family members make my life easier?

8. In what ways have my family members made me a better person? 

9. In what ways were my parents positive role models? 

Redemptive Gratitude:  Refers to the act of finding positive aspects and lessons within a difficult or challenging experience essentially “redeeming” the situation by focusing on the good that can be gained, even amidst the hardship.  It’s about being thankful for the growth and transformation that can arise from adversity.  This may include looking for silver linings and gaining a long term perspective that helped build skills and abilities to get you through.  Examples include finding a new career path after losing a job, finding a new community after relocating, or developing better self care after a health crisis.

Examples of Redemptive Gratitude Questions: (thinking about a particularly stressful life experience)

1. In what ways is my life better now? What have I learned to appreciate as a result of this stressful experience? 

2. What challenges did I overcome? 

3. How have I grown as a person or what character strengths did I develop as a result of this stressful experience?

4. In what ways is my life more meaningful because of this stressful experience?

5. Who supported me during this stressful experience?

6. In what ways have I experienced physical, emotional and/or spiritual healing? 

Cultural Gratitude:  Refers to the practice of acknowledging and appreciating the contributions, values, and traditions of different cultures going beyond simply saying “thank you” by gaining a deeper understanding and respect for differing perspectives and practices within a community or society.  Essentially it means appreciating the unique aspects of a culture and its collective contributions and developing sensitivity to rituals, gestures, and customs of this community.  Cultural gratitude promotes tolerance, reduces prejudice or misunderstanding, and promotes inclusivity and a sense of belonging.  Culture” and “cultural group” is broadly defined as any group you belong to that has shared values, beliefs, practices, and traditions. Examples include taking the time to understand and appreciate the celebrations and symbols of a cultural practice, recognizing the historical contributions of different cultures in art, food, language or technology.  

Examples of Cultural Gratitude Questions:

1. What aspects of my culture am I proud of? 

2. What aspects of my culture has made me a better or stronger person?

3. In what ways have my culture been a source of strength for me? 

4. In what ways have my cultural group contributed to society? 

5. Who in my culture do I admire or is a role model? (This could be someone you personally know or a historical figure.) 

Gratitude Savoring:  refers to the practice of intentionally focusing on and appreciating positive experiences in the present moment, essentially the act of ‘savoring” (fully engaging with a positive experience) with a mindset of gratitude, where you actively acknowledge and appreciate good things in your life  by paying close attention. Examples include taking a walk in nature while noticing the smells, sights and sounds or fully appreciating a meal by taking slow bites and recognizing the ingredients and preparation efforts to create the meal.

Examples of Gratitude Savoring Questions:

1. What do I enjoy about the food/beverage I eat/drink? 

2. What do I appreciate about the view outside the window of my home/office? 

3. What do I enjoy about the physical surroundings near my home? 

4.What do I enjoy about the music I listen to? 

5. [Look at a photograph you recently took] What do I appreciate about the things or people in the photograph? 

I’m thinking right about now, that I’m really grateful for gratitude.  It’s no small thing that we have the capacity to take a step back from our experience and find the beauty in it. It’s a gift that we can give ourselves and share with others.  We can also develop a relationship in a spiritual sense when we cultivate gratitude.  How amazing to have such a powerful tool always at the ready and available. 

In fact, I think of that little game I played with my family pretty frequently.  Sometimes when I’m stressed or anxious, I simply look around me and begin to engage with my environment, looking for the positive.  If you wanted to, you could actually spend your entire day being amazed.  Eating breakfast – what a helpful thing a bowl is!  Driving to work – my car is an amazing technological feat!  The garden outside my office building has such greenery and it’s so nice to have staff who volunteer to take care of it.  Wow, my standing desk, isn’t that just a fantastic addition!  One can go on and on and on.  There is no lack of opportunity to be thankful for something, it just takes the intention to notice. And, wow, just how great is that!