“I was going through a tough time in my life, a divorce after 15 years of marriage. Every day seemed very tough to pass; a tumultuous time to manage the emotions of 2 children, my parents, job, etc.   Bleak days, except the days that I spent doing something purposeful. Focusing on the job felt tough; I was losing my sense of purpose in life. except during process-oriented, daily activities that bring joy and fulfillment. I built on them, and they helped me go through this tumultuous time. I...

“Gratitude is an affirmation of the goodness in one’s life and the recognition that the sources of this goodness lie at least partially outside the self.” This definition, advocated by prominent gratitude researcher Dr. Robert Emmons, describes gratitude as a cognitive-emotional process that shifts a person's perspective on life Gratitude is the recognition that life owes me nothing and all the good I have is a gift. So it is foundationally and fundamentally a way of looking at life. It is...

The word 'gratitude' has Latin origins, deriving from Medieval Latin 'gratitudo' (thankfulness) and Latin 'gratus' (thankful, pleasing). It entered English in the mid-15th century, initially meaning "goodwill" before evolving to its current sense of thankfulness in the 1560s.  The idea of gratitude was integral to ancient civilizations. Religions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism all emphasize developing gratitude as a key moral virtue. This feeling was often...