Happiness Psychology - Part 7: The Power of Gratitude

In life, everyone goes through difficult times. During these periods, our minds become filled with doubt, loneliness, and an overwhelming sense of disappointment. We wake up each day with these negative thoughts, only to end the day sinking into sleep with them still lingering.

We become slaves to our circumstances, emotions, and even genetics (CD38 is a gene linked to gratitude—those with stronger expressions of this gene tend to feel more satisfied and positive).

However, by practicing gratitude, you can lift yourself out of these negative states.

Some might ask, isn’t that just deceiving yourself and your emotions? The answer is NO. Building a good life isn't about being loyal to negative feelings in the name of authenticity. It’s about resisting those negative emotions and acting positively, even when you don’t feel like it.

It's like having a switch to shift from a negative state to a positive one. You flip it to change your state, or you can let your mind remain in darkness.

Thus, acting for happiness—whether you're happy or sad—will bring positive emotions to your brain. Just like how using a pencil can bring about positive feelings, now you can practice gratitude in the same way.

Every morning, when you open your eyes, the first thing you do is smile. The first thought in your mind could be:

“Oh, thank goodness I am still alive.

I can still see, smell, hear, and feel everything around me.

I have clean water, food, and shelter.

I have a healthy body, a clear mind, and people who love me.

...

I am luckier than millions of people in the world.”

Gratitude doesn’t depend on your emotions; make it a daily habit. Be thankful for the simple and obvious things you have, as they might be a fortune to someone else. Appreciate yourself, send a thank-you message to those around you.

Everything will start to feel lighter, and you’ll be building a happy life day by day.