Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier

This book reports the findings of the new positive psychology that maintaining a grateful attitude towards life can have beneficial effects mentally, socially and even physically. Emmons reports his own psychological experiments and those of others working in the field, including the now famous Martin E. P. Seligman (author of Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment).While the book is science based it is written especially with the general public in mind, and is not in any way boring or overly technical. Emmons includes plenty of anecdotes to make the material human and easy to relate to. At only two hundred and nine pages it is a short read, but contains enough material to convince you to change your attitude and your life. Quite copious notes are provided if you want to follow up any of the topics mentioned in more detail. If you want a more professional, scientific report of this material you should read Emmons' book The Psychology of Gratitude (Series in Affective Science).The book covers the topics:The psychology of gratitude, including how and why it works, such as the fact that we gain enhanced social relationships when we realize that someone has done something special for us,How the emotion of gratitude works in our body, for example "... the welling we feel in the throat, the warmth ...",Gratitude in a religious context, ranging over Christianity, including Pentecostalism, Judaism, Islam, and Buddhism,Obstacles to grateful living, such as forgetfulness and feeling an obligation to repay the kindness,Can we feel gratitude in difficult times, and,Practical methods of increasing a sense of gratitude.While reading this book I started writing a "gratitude journal" in which I 'count my blessings' each day. I have found that this technique forces one to look at the good things, rather than the bad, and that this can quite alter ones perception of 'reality'. Previously when something bad happened I would tend to say "Today was bad", but now those feelings are balanced by my list of small but valuable good events, so I can see that the whole day was not bad. I recommend this book especially if you are a suffer of depression, but anyone can benefit making their good life even better.

"Gratitude has never, until recently, been examined or studied by scientific psychologists. It is possible that psychology has ignored gratitude because it appears, on the surface, to be a very obvious emotion, lacking in interesting complications: we receive a gift--from friends, from family, from God--and then we feel pleasurably grateful. But while the emotion seemed simplistic even to me as I began my research, I soon discovered that gratitude is a deeper, more complex phenomenon that plays a critical role in human happiness. Gratitude is literally one of the few things that can measurably change people's lives."~ Robert Emmons from Thanks!A Professor at the University of California, Davis, Robert Emmons is one of the world's leading experts on the science of gratitude.This book is packed with wisdom on both the scientific underpinnings of gratitude as well as practical steps we can engage in to make it a bigger part of our lives."I intend this book to provoke intellectual interest as well as self-examination; I hope to provide you with information that might inspire you to make life altering decisions.""The scientific literature suggests that happy individuals are also more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident, have better self-control, and show greater self regulatory and coping abilities. Happy people, the facts clearly show, are flourishing and successful people."Here are a few Big Ideas:1. Happiness - It's a good thing to develop.2. 25% Happiness Boost - How? Gratitude.3. Gratitude Sleeping Pills - Pop these before bedtime.4. Flourishing Relationships - 5:1 again.5. Emotional Incompatibility - Swap out the bad with the good!So, if you're feeling funky, or just want to boost your flourishing to even more extraordinary heights, remember to get your gratitude on and act like a happy person!!!(More goodness--including PhilosophersNotes on 250+ books at http://www.brianjohnson.me)

No modern author/scientist has done more for advancing the power of Gratitude than Dr. Robert Emmons whose latest book is a treasure trove of information on just how maintaining an attitude of gratitude can enhance our life. Not only is this book worthy of 5 stars, but so too is Emmons' career which has left such a mark through his work on Gratitude...a mark on all of us who have benefited from his work and writings, as well as a mark on him. He closes the book expressing his gratitude "It's highly unlikely that I will ever find again a topic as satisfying and inspiring to devote my research energy to. For the opportunity to learn about gratitude and inform others of my findings in the hope that this knowledge will produce for them the best life they are capable of, I am deeply grateful." Now, that is walking the talk!This book came out at about the same time as Deborah Norville's book, "Thank You Power." I highly recommend that book as a companion read so as to get a double dose of the power of Gratitude. I found the two to be delightfully reinforcing of one another...yet with enough difference to justify the time invested in reading both.This book's closing ten prescriptions for practicing gratitude are, without doubt, a roadmap for a better life, when implemented and maintained. The challenge as the book makes clear is to maintian an attitude of gratitude even in the face of hitting some of the potholes of life.

My 2nd time reading.....but had to have it as a reminder that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for.

I cannot remember who led me to this book, but I want to thank that person. Due to my upbringing, I have always practiced gratitude but not to the extent that is suggested by Emmons. Furthermore, Emmons has made me aware of many underlying concepts in the practice of gratitude. For example, to express gratitude means an intentional act by me towards an individual who has intentionally benefitted me. In other words, neither the gifting nor the thanking is unintentional or unconscious. In addition to being reminded of the extent to which most disciplines have studied or emphasized gratitude (philosophy, religion, psychology), Emmons adds the empirical studies to support the assertion that practicing gratitude is not only common sense but also a practice supported by scientific evidence. I appreciate that evidence. Although I have only read a small portion of the book, I have already recommended it to six individuals. In fact, I can't stop talking about it!

It’s a dry treatment of a fascinating subject. Reads more like an academic piece than anything else, but if you can get past the style, the content is top notch.

Thanks! is an amazing book filled with research on the topic of thanksgiving written in an easily readable and enjoyable fashion. The book was life transforming for me, something I would not say glibly, as it taught me the power of gratitude to not only be happier, but to see life through a more positive lens. I would highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with depression or for those who simply desire to grow happier not by changing their entire life, but altering their perspective on their entire life. Thank you, Dr. Emmons for the hard work, time and energy you obviously put into this book. Thank you for your dedication to the study of gratitude. Your book is a great blessing!Pierre M. EadeAuthor, Born to Grow

I've encountered Emmon's work in my study of positive psychology and positive emotion. In Thanks, he examines the actions and feeling of Gratitude as a powerful force in our lives. On the spectrum of activities that have proven to enhance one's experience of positive emotion, practicing gratitude consistently rises to the top as the most effective. I found Emmons' study of this phenomenon fascinating.Note: Emmons is an academic so he spends much time detailing his research, which may or may not interest you. I encourage you, however, to pay special attention to Chapters 1 (The new science of gratitude) and 2 (Gratitude and the psyche) and the final Chapter, 7, in which Emmons details nine practices that have proven effective in building a feeling of gratitude - leading to increased happiness!

another excellent book on gratitiude

A great book! I can highly recommend this book - easily read and enjoyable causing you to think about your own attitude toward the simple joys of life. We could all do with a good dose of gratitude - read it, learn and pass it on to your kids! :)

Thoroughly disappointed in this book. HOWEVER if you are a practicing Christian, this book will be perfect for you.Examples throughout the book were either taken from fictional works, or the Bible. Works which are obviously out of copyright time. He did do some tests himself with 'patients' with motor problems. Fair enough. But what about ordinary people who do not wish to follow a religious format?I'd read this was the best book ever written on gratitude. I bought this book because having read the brilliant Jeff Foster I felt gratitude for life, at present, not related to the past nor future, was something I wanted to explore in more depth. It was not in this book. There are only his own opinions and his own conclusions which are Christian based, and all examples from outdated commentaries or fiction.If you are looking for an 'enlightening' book which points the way forward to developing understanding for awakening appreciation for all life force, be this for other life forms on this planet, our planet or in a quantum, oneness sense, you wont find it here.His advice is all Christian based ideology, which is perfectly acceptable if you take that path.I particularly disliked his allusion of the Iraqi football team being ungrateful, due to their culture. He mentions Buddhism many times, but his opinions and knowledge of Buddhist principles are sketchy at best.The one star rating I gave is because I see that this book is only suitable for practicing Christians.

good

terrific book. Really helps you see the world in a more positive light.