There are many self-help outlets — books, blogs, podcasts, and so on — that advocate regular expressions of gratitude. Why?
Expressions of gratitude can come in many different forms. They can be private expressions, in your head while you are meditating, for example. Or they can be public, directly to the person or object being thanked, or even to an entire audience of people.
You may have practiced these displays yourself. (If not, surely your imagination will suffice.) When you think, write, or speak your affirmations, what happens? What changes might take place, both within you, in the subject of your gratitude, and within society at large?
There are surely some benefits for this behavior, or else it would not be recommended by so many people in so many outlets. In your experience, what benefits come from expressing gratitude?
Related questions: What are you grateful for? What does it mean to be thankful? How could you show your appreciation for others more? What are our responsibilities to others?
As someone who experiences Anxiety and Depression, I can attest to what science tells us: expressing gratitude lessens both. Noting gratitude releases dopamine and serotonin into the brain. The two chemicals contribute to feelings of pleasure, happiness, and overall well-being (even for those who don’t struggle with mental illness). That’s why I devote time each morning to writing an expression of gratitude in my journal.
Also, looking for things to be grateful for makes you much more aware of good things when they happen in the future. For example, I’ve noted on this blog before that I once had a pup, Franco, who let out snorts when he was especially happy and playful. One day, I decided to make that my expression of gratitude. For several days in the future, I became much more aware of when Franco would make that noise. It cheered me up much more than had I not written about it beforehand.