The other day, I was answering some questions regarding gratitude and happiness.  I thought that I would share what I compiled with you.  This is from a psychology perspective, so as to give you more information about how getting into the gratitude zone actually operates to help you to create greater happiness in life. 

As an REBT cognitive-behavioral therapist, there are a variety of things that I use to help people to shift out of negative unhealthy emotional states and into rational/healthy emotional states.  I believe that choosing to be grateful can often lead to improved mood.  I believe that there are at least three processes at play here, based upon cognitive theory and research.

Cognitive activation is a mental process whereby focusing upon a specific thing leads you to “activate” associations to related things in your brain.  When we focus upon something that we appreciate, for example, we will naturally activate thoughts and emotions that are associated with the thing we appreciate, leading us to feel happier. 

Similar to this is what is called the availability hieuristic.  This is just a fancy way of saying that as we notice things, they become more available for us to notice more.  (Sort of like when you buy a new car and everyone seems to have that car.)  A focus upon the abundance in our lives creates an increased awareness of what we already have in our lives, making the good that we already have more available to our minds and leading us to notice it even more (kind of like a positive cycle).

In addition, creating a mental focus upon gratitude allows us to make what are called “downward comparisons“.  Often in the process of downward comparison, our mood improves.  Specifically, we shift our attention to that which we already have, rather than that which we lack.  Our comparisons become downward comparisons (Others have less than I do; I have more than I realized) rather than upward comparisons (Others have more than I do; I have less than I realized).  The process of comparing downward also helps people to feel happier.

You could think of this as creating an abundance focus or a gratitude zone, so as to influence your mood state more positively.  Some tips for creating a gratitude zone in your life:
1.  Learn to focus upon what you have.
2.  Ask yourself questions that trigger a grateful mental focus, such as, “What is great about this situation?”
3.  Express appreciation to others in your life on a regular basis, at least once daily.
4.  List all of the things that you have to be thankful for whenever you feel yourself straying out of this zone.

Please feel free to share your ideas on this topic!

Pam Garcy, PhD