Tales of Gratitude

by Staffan Berg, D. Min.

There are numerous benefits to being grateful. A wise saying ascribed to the Greek philosopher Plato states, “A grateful mind is a great mind, which eventually attracts itself to great things.”  A quick search can yield a multitude of recent evidence pointing towards the benefits of being in a state of gratitude, such as increased health and life-satisfaction, wisdom, friendship & marriage. However, it is not easy to be maintain gratitude in our tumultuous world.

Researchers Emmons and McCulloch state that gratitude is an acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life and a recognition that sources of this goodness lie outside the self. A beginning step in that direction may be to create some mental filters or habits to perceive the good in life. That may be challenging if I inundate myself with curated feeds focused on tragic or shocking news. Happy stories and videos of cuddly kittens can push one's mental balance in a more positive direction. That is to say that just waiting for gratitude and the goodness of others to overwhelm me may not be an efficient way to reach the above mentioned benefits.

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman of Stanford University suggests that among all the awesome techniques that can enhance gratitude, recalling a personal memory of gratitude may be one of the best. He suggests to pro-actively jot down some details about the event to be able to recall it as needed. Mental replay of such gratitude events will expand the neuronal paths leading towards that desirable state.

One of my own favorite gratitude memories is to recall the time when I was carrying my newborn son around in my arms. I was in an exalted state of awe and gratitude thus naively expected everyone else in the world to resonate with my happiness. Nothing could wipe the smile of my face or destroy my internal bliss of novel fatherhood. I can sympathize whenever I recognize the ear-to-ear smiles of other fathers. That brings a warm and fuzzy feeling to my chest that never gets old.

Connected to that is my respect for sacrificial acts. I was there when my wife endured her C-sections. It makes me shudder when I dwell on it. Also, it brings a healthy dose of awe, respect and an enduring sense of what-can-I-do-to-help?

Recounted stories of amazing or heroic deeds are also valuable. First responders have our respect as we can well relate to wildfires and car accidents. National historical figures have become a little tarnished of late as the plight of their vanquished victims is more accessible. The tales and teachings of saints and sages go beyond many borders. It is true that with time and translation, additional layers of dogma may have obfuscated their original messages. Thus, personal testimonies of divine love and embrace carry undeniable transformative power-take for example the online plethora of near death experiences (NDE). 

Researchers Pérez et al are looking into how gratitude multiplies when you share your stories of joy with others. Such narratives paired with the natural neuroplasticity of the brain can help to form a better and more peaceful world.

References 

Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, Remind, and Bind: The Functions of Gratitude in Everyday Relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455–469. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00439.x

Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377

Huberman, A (2021).The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVjfFN89qvQ

König, S., & Glück, J. (2014). “Gratitude is with me all the time”: How gratitude relates to wisdom. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 69(5), 655–666. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbt123

Pérez P, Madsen J, Banellis L, Türker B, Raimondo F, Perlbarg V, Valente M, Niérat MC, Puybasset L, Naccache L, Similowski T, Cruse D, Parra LC, Sitt JD. (2021). Conscious processing of narrative stimuli synchronizes heart rate between individuals. Cell Rep. Sep 14;36(11):109692. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109692. PMID: 34525363.

UPF USA (2024). Universal Values: The role of gratitude in promoting peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbUHtf5jMJ0&t=22s

Dr. Staffan Berg is the Executive Director of the Universal Peace Federation-USA

in Arizona (us.upf.org), an NGO in General Consultative Status with the United Nations. He is also the national coordinator of the International Association of Academicians for Peace (IAAP), one of the seven pillars of UPF-USA.

Dr. Berg has an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and earned his D. Min. at UTS, now named HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership. His field is energy healing, with certifications in Emotion Code and Body Code, plus Reiki.