Author: Erika Engelbrecht-Aldworth
Publication Date: 15 April 2025
When was the last time you thanked someone and felt a spark of joy? Expressing gratitude not only lifts others but also protects your well-being and deepens life’s purpose. Let us explore how sharing thanks transforms your world.
Well-being grows through connection and positivity, and expressing gratitude strengthens both (Reese & Myers, 2012). Telling others you appreciate them fosters social bonds and reduces stress, as Yeh and Barrington (2023) found. This practice infuses daily interactions with meaning, making life feel more purposeful.
Research from 2023 confirms this. Chen et al. (2023) showed that gratitude expressed through social support increases job satisfaction, enhancing overall well-being. Einav et al. (2024) found that sharing gratitude reduces loneliness and boosts hope, key for emotional health. By acknowledging others’ kindness, you create a ripple effect of positivity, as Sarwar and Khurram (2023) noted, improving resilience.
Try this: thank someone today—a friend, colleague, or stranger—and explain why their action mattered. This act, as Emmons and Mishra (2023) discovered, enhances mood and life satisfaction. Expressing gratitude builds a supportive network, grounding your well-being and giving your life a sense of purpose.
Who will you thank this week? Share in the comments. Next, we will craft a compass for sustaining well-being through gratitude. Write a thank-you note today and see how it feels.
References
Chen, H., Yang, X., Xia, W., Li, Y., Deng, Y., & Fan, C. (2023). The relationship between gratitude and job satisfaction: The mediating roles of social support and job crafting. Current Psychology, 42(4), 3134–3141.
Einav, M., Confino, D., Geva, N., & Margalit, M. (2024). Teachers’ burnout–The role of social support, gratitude, hope, entitlement and loneliness. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 1–23.
Emmons, R. A., & Mishra, A. (2023). The science of gratitude. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 32(4), 335–340. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214211024606
Reese, R. F., & Myers, J. E. (2012). Ecowellness: The missing factor in holistic wellness models. Journal of Counseling & Development, 90(4), 400–406.
Sarwar, N., & Khurram, F. (2023). Impact of practising gratitude on focus and resilience in classroom learning among university students: A qualitative analysis. International Journal of Academic Research for Humanities, 3(3), 65–73.
Yeh, C. S. H., & Barrington, R. (2023). Sustainable positive psychology interventions enhance primary teachers’ wellbeing and beyond—A qualitative case study in England. Teaching and Teacher Education, 125, 104072.