Is gratitude a trait? Is being thankful to things, people or situations, small or big, can make someone happier? There was a new study in Hope College (Michigan) recently within this year (2019) suggesting that yes, they are. However, this doesn’t mean that people who lack gratitude cannot develop this trait within their lives and will be forever discontented. But if a person really has no sense gratitude, he or she will be likely to be constantly unhappy, as the study suggest. Having gratitude within oneself will always remind someone that no matter how challenging life is, there are still good things happening and there is hope in many things.
Having this kind of deep social emotion, an attitude that maintains the awareness that he or she is a recipient of a favour or a gift from someone, helps the individual to keep the positive thoughts and feelings within oneself. Therefore, one can also sustain a good relationship to the people around and can also function well in his or her community. However, we all know that life is not only about doing what makes you happy, it is also about choosing what you think is necessary and helpful not only to your self but to others as well. But despite that, gratitude can really help one’s psychology or mental health in general and can also result to many different positive experiences within and outside the self.
It was also found out in the study that people who are always grateful are more strong and resilient. They often regard negative experiences as a chance for personal growth and improvement. That’s why having traits of gratitude for most part of your life is very important for your cognitive and emotional processes. On the other hand, most ungrateful people in that study was found out to be often discontented as they don’t have that effect from being thankful in their hearts and in their mind. For them, they are programmed to see only the negativity in things and the failures of others especially those that offer them favours. It seems that there ungratefulness has become part of their nature or character. Unfortunately, these kinds of people often discourage people who want to help.
In conclusion, the study shows us something very important about how we view things and that we should develop grateful thoughts and traits in our daily lives. Nurturing these kinds of good quality as a disposition will also make us see the positivity in other people’s deeds or actions, no matter how small and therefore appreciate and even compensate these actions. In this way there is mutual cooperation and symbiotic relation. So in the early stages of life, it is very crucial to develop and nurture this trait so we can have a fulfilling life without making other people feel incapacitated.
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