Chapter 1: Introduction Effect of journal keeping on levels of gratitude and loneliness “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” -Melody Beattie Gratitude as concept is something that is quite heard of on a regular basis. It is something that is embedded within various religious and spiritual practises. As children, we are all taught to say thank you …show more content…
Research has demonstrated that gratitude can be cultivated among people in a number of ways. In a series of experimental studies conducted by Emmons and McCoullough (2013), benefits of maintaining a gratitude journal were emphasized. Participants, who were randomly assigned to maintain a gratitude journal on a weekly basis, reported exercising more regularly, fewer physical symptoms and generally felt better and more optimistic about their lives as compared those in the other conditions (Study 1). In Study 2, which required the participants to maintain a daily gratitude journal, it was seen that young adults in this condition reported higher levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy as compared to those in other conditions. They were also more likely to have helped someone or offered emotional support when required. Hence, it can be concluded that maintaining a gratitude journal has a number of benefits. In spite of the enumerable benefits of gratitude that has been mentioned above, it is an extremely difficult task to practise and inculcate. It requires a lot of motivation and discipline and requires the individual to do so in an authentic manner. Ultimately gratitude can be thought of as a mindfulness practise that leads to a greater experience of being connected to life. (Emmons and Stern,