Lessons learned from a very special list

The idea that gratitude yields positive results may be nothing new to you. But if the benefits of gratitude are so clear and well established, why can it be so difficult to practise it?

Watch this

Consider this

Gratitude is powerful. In one study, for example, a group was asked to write a short weekly report about the things they were grateful for during the week that had just passed. Meanwhile another group — the “hassles group” — wrote about the annoying and negative things that happened. 

The results were striking. After 10 weeks, the gratitude group reported feeling more optimistic and better about their lives than the second group did. That same research also found that the grateful group reported feeling healthier, had fewer visits to the doctor and exercised more frequently. In doing so, the study demonstrated the profound impact of focusing on positive aspects of life, even in small ways.

Reflection questions

1. What are three things — big or small — that you’re grateful for today, and why do they matter to you?
   
2. Think of a recent challenge or difficult time. Was there anything in that experience you can now appreciate or learn from?
   
3. Who has made a positive impact on your life recently? Have you expressed your gratitude to them? How might it feel to do so?
   
4. What everyday comforts or routines do you often overlook, but would miss if they were gone?
   
5. How does focusing on what’s going well shift your mindset during stressful or discouraging times?
   
6. What keeps you from practising gratitude more often — busyness, forgetfulness, discomfort? How might you gently overcome those barriers?
   
7. What’s one way you can build a small gratitude ritual into your day or week (e.g., journaling, reflecting before bed, sharing with a friend)?
   
8. How do you feel — physically or emotionally — after spending time thinking about what you’re grateful for?
   
9. What role does gratitude play in your relationships? How could expressing more appreciation improve your connections with others?
   
10. How might regularly practising gratitude help you navigate life’s ups and downs with more resilience and perspective?

Try this

Turn ideas into action with these suggested activities from our Resilience Toolbox.

More modules

Module 1. Making your own luck: Lessons learned from a coin flip

Module 2. Improving adaptability: Lessons learned from an absurd Christmas tree

Module 3. Embracing teamwork: Lessons learned from a rogue haybale

Module 4. Leveraging tools: Lessons learned from a poorly chosen sledgehammer

Module 5. Learning humility: Lessons learned from a very brief career as a valet

Module 6. Failing forward: Lessons learned from banshee babies and buttered butts

Module 7. Avoiding shortcuts: Lessons learned from a giant backpack

Module 8. Redefining success: Lessons learned from an idiotic bet

Module 9. Letting go: Lessons learned from a gooey pit of clay

Module 10. Taking responsibility: Lessons learned from trying to catch a train

Module 11. Getting creative: Lessons learned from the toboggan hill

Module 12. Fuelling motivation: Lessons learned from sleeping in a barn

Module 13. Handing over control: Lessons learned from riding in a shopping cart

Module 14. Practising gratitude: Lessons learned from a very special list

Module 15. Prioritizing self-care: Lessons learned from a surprise birthday celebration in the hospital

Module 16. Creating lasting change: Lessons learned from life’s awesome and absurd moments