Gratitude

• Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and

appreciative. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for
something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of
kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.
• Gratitude is often a spontaneous emotion that you feel in the
moment. Some people are naturally prone to experiencing it more
often than others, but experts suggest that it is also
something that you can cultivate and learn to practice more often.
• Gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation. The American
Psychological Association, more specifically defines this phenomenon
as a sense of happiness and thankfulness in response to a fortunate
happenstance or tangible gift.
• The feeling of gratitude involves two stages (Emmons & McCullough,
2003)
Signs of Gratitude
• Spending a few moments thinking about the things in your life that you
are grateful for
• Stopping to observe and acknowledge the beauty of wonder of
something you encounter in your daily life
• Being thankful for your health
• Thanking someone for the positive influence they have in your life
• Doing something kind for another person to show that you are grateful
• Paying attention to the small things in your life that bring you joy and
peace
• Meditation or prayer focused on giving thanks
Types of Gratitude
• As an affective trait- meaning that it is related to a person's general
disposition. Some people naturally experience gratitude more
frequently than others.
• As a mood- which means it may fluctuate over time. People might
experience periods where they feel more grateful in general, and at
other times they may experience this less often.
• As an emotion- which is a briefer feeling that people experience in
the moment. People might have a particular experience that inspires
feelings of gratitude.
Impact or Benefits of Gratitude-The practice of gratitude can have a significant
positive impact on both physical and psychological health. Some of the
benefits of gratitude that researchers have uncovered include:

• Better sleep
• Better immunity
• Higher self-esteem
• Decreased stress
• Lower blood pressure
• Less anxiety and depression
• Stronger relationships
• Higher levels of optimism
How to develop Gratitude

• Keep a gratitude journal-: Spend a few minutes each day writing about
something you are grateful for. This doesn’t need to be a long or complex
process. Simply listing two or three items each day and focusing on
experiencing gratitude for them can help.
• Reframe experiences: Another way to increase gratitude is to compare
current situations to negative experiences in the past. Doing this not only
allows you to see how your strengths helped carry you through those events,
but it also helps you focus on the things you can be grateful for in the here
and now
• Focus on your senses: Emmons suggests taking moments to focus on what
you see, hear, taste, touch, and feel. This can help you gain a greater
appreciation of the world around you and what it means to be alive
• Create gratitude rituals: Pausing for a moment to appreciate
something and giving thanks for it can help you feel a greater sense of
gratitude. A meditation, prayer, or mantra are examples of rituals that
can inspire a greater sense of gratitude.
• Give thanks: Gratitude is all about recognizing and appreciating those
people, things, moments, skills, or gifts that bring joy, peace, or
comfort into our lives. Show your appreciation. You might thank a
person to show you are thankful for them, or you might spend a
moment simply mentally appreciating what you have.
Measurement of Gratitude

• 1-Gratitude Questionnaire:(GQ-6 scale)- developed by (McCullough,

Emmons, & Tsang, 2002). GQ-6 scale is one of the most frequently used
assessments in gratitude. This tool is a self-report questionnaire that
measures the tendency to recognize, respond, and experience gratitude.
Participants respond based on a 7-point Likert scale that ranges from (1)
strongly disagree to (7) strongly agree. There are two negatively
formulated items that are reverse coded. The scores range from 6-42,
the higher numbers being correlated with higher gratitude disposition.
• 2-Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test-( Watkins,2003),The
GRAT or Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test was developed to
measure someone’s dispositional gratitude.
• This 44-question scale is based on the existence of 3 distinct characteristics of a
grateful individual. The first is the lack of a sense of deprivation. The second is a
tendency to appreciate simple pleasures. The third is the tendency to appreciate
the contribution of others to one’s wellbeing and the ability to express that
gratitude to others.
3-Gratitude Adjective Scale-The gratitude adjective scale or GAC has been used to
investigate the subject of gratitude further. It measures, over time, the subjective
experience of gratitude. Increased awareness of states of gratitude can help
increase levels of life satisfaction.

4-Appreciation Scale-(Mitchell Adler and Nancy Fagley) Here is another

science-based quiz to assess your level of gratitude. This quiz was created for the
Greater Good Magazine from the scale developed by psychologists
 Forgiveness
• Our capacity for forgiveness is a part of human nature that has evolved
in the process of natural selection, and according to evolutionary
science, it developed in the same way as our tendency toward revenge.
• Both forgiveness and revenge are social instincts that solved problems
for ancestral humans. Although both of these are fixed aspects of
human nature, these capacities can be altered which gives us hope that
we can make the world a more forgiving and less vengeful place
(McCullough, 2008).
Types of Forgiveness-There are two primary ways of thinking
about forgiveness: as a state and as a trait-

• State forgiveness is defined as the degree of positive thoughts,

feelings, and intentions toward an offender, in regard to a specific
instance of interpersonal conflict. forgiveness decreases with the
severity of the event and increases with the closeness of relationship
between the offender and the individual.
• The second way of conceptualizing forgiveness is as a relatively stable
characteristic, that is, an individual or personality trait. Forgiving
individuals value forgiveness, have a higher threshold for perceiving
offenses, and are less willing to endure the separation from
relationship partners that follows from a lack of forgiveness.
Benefits of Forgiveness

• reduction in negative affect and depressive symptoms

• restoration of positive thinking
• restoration of relationships
• reduction in anxiety
• strengthened spirituality
• raised self-esteem
• a greater sense of hope
• greater capacity for conflict management and
• greater ability to cope with stress and find relief.
Measurements
• 1-Interpersonal Relationship resolution scale
• 2-Marital offence specific forgiveness scale
• 3-Workplace forgiveness scale
• 4-Tendency to forgiveness scale
• 5-Self- forgiveness dual process scale
• 6-Heartland Forgiveness Scale (HFS)
[Link] Forgiveness Scale (HFS)- An 18-item self-reported
instrument that measures dispositional forgiveness. It consists of three
subscales of six items each: (a) forgiveness of self: items 1 to 6; (b)
forgiveness of others: items 7 through 12; and (c) forgiveness of
situations: items 13–18.
[Link] to Forgive Scale (TTF)-The TFF Scale is another empirical
measure used to determine forgiveness and was developed by Ryan
Brown in 2003. This measure differs from other forgiveness scales as it
seeks to determine dispositional forgiveness over general attitudes
towards forgiveness. The TFF Scale is a scale consisting of Likert-Scales
which ask participants to respond with how they would usually
respond when someone offends them. These items include statements
such as "I tend to get over things quickly when someone hurts my
feelings."
 EMPATHY

• The term empathy was first introduced in 1909 by psychologist

Edward B. Titchener as a translation of the German
term einfühlung (meaning "feeling into").
• Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people
feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their
place. Essentially, it is putting yourself in someone else's position and
feeling what they are feeling.
• Empathy means that when you see another person suffering, such as
after they've lost a loved one, you are able to instantly envision yourself
going through that same experience and feel what they are going
through.
Sign of Empathy-If you are wondering whether you
are an empathetic person, here are some signs that show
that you have this tendency-
• You are good at really listening to what others have to say.
• People often tell you about their problems.
• You are good at picking up on how other people are feeling.
• You often think about how other people feel.
• Other people come to you for advice.
• You often feel overwhelmed by tragic events.
• You try to help others who are suffering.
• You are good at telling when people aren't being honest.
• You sometimes feel drained or overwhelmed in social situations.
• You care deeply about other people.
• You find it difficult to set boundaries in your relationships
Types of Empathy
• Affective empathy involves the ability to understand another person's
emotions and respond appropriately. Such emotional understanding may lead
to someone feeling concerned for another person's well-being, or it may lead
to feelings of personal distress.
• Somatic empathy involves having a physical reaction in response to what
someone else is experiencing. People sometimes physically experience what
another person is feeling. When you see someone else feeling embarrassed,
for example, you might start to blush or have an upset stomach.
• Cognitive empathy involves being able to understand another person's
mental state and what they might be thinking in response to the situation.
This is related to what psychologists refer to as the theory of mind or thinking
about what other people are thinking.
Uses of Empathy
• Empathy allows you to build social connections with others. By
understanding what people are thinking and feeling, you are able to respond
appropriately in social situations. Research has shown that having
social connections is important for both physical and psychological well-
being.1
• Empathizing with others helps you learn to regulate your own emotions.
Emotional regulation is important in that it allows you to manage what you
are feeling, even in times of great stress, without becoming overwhelmed.
• Empathy promotes helping behaviors. Not only are you more likely to engage
in helpful behaviors when you feel empathy for other people, but other
people are also more likely to help you when they experience empathy.
Impact of Empathy
• Your ability to experience empathy can impact your relationships. Studies
involving siblings have found that when empathy is high, siblings have
less conflict and more warmth toward each other.5 In romantic relationships,
having empathy increases your ability to extend forgiveness.
• Mentally, Physically fit.
• Causes of Empathy-Human beings are certainly capable of selfish,
even cruel, behavior. A quick scan of the news quickly reveals
numerous unkind, selfish, and heinous actions. The question, then, is
why don't we all engage in such self-serving behavior all the time?
What is it that causes us to feel another's pain and
respond with kindness?
• 1-Neuroscientific Reason
• Studies have shown that specific areas of the brain play a role in how
empathy is experienced. More recent approaches focus on the cognitive
and neurological processes that lie behind empathy. Researchers have
found that different regions of the brain play an important role in empathy,
including the anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula.
• Research suggests that there are important neurobiological components to
the experience of empathy.10 The activation of mirror neurons in the brain
plays a part in the ability to mirror and mimic the emotional responses
that people would feel if they were in similar situations.
• 2-Emotional Explanations
• Some of the earliest explorations into the topic of empathy centered on how
feeling what others feel allows people to have a variety of emotional experiences.
The philosopher Adam Smith suggested that it allows us to experience things that
we might never otherwise be able to fully feel. Prosocial Explanations
• Sociologist Herbert Spencer proposed that empathy served an adaptive function
and aided in the survival of the species. Empathy leads to helping behavior, which
benefits social relationships. Humans are naturally social creatures. Things that aid
in our relationships with other people benefit us as well.
• When people experience empathy, they are more likely to engage in
prosocial behaviors that benefit other people.
How to Improve Empathy
• Work on listening to people without interrupting
• Pay attention to body language and other types of nonverbal communication
• Try to understand people, even when you don't agree with them
• Ask people questions to learn more about them and their lives
• Imagine yourself in another person's shoes
• Strengthen your connection with others to learn more about how they feel
• Seek to identify biases you may have and how they affect your empathy for others
• Look for ways in which you are similar to others versus focusing on differences
• Be willing to be vulnerable, opening up about how you feel
• Engage in new experiences, giving you better insight into how others in that situation may feel
• Get involved in organizations that push for social change
 COMPASSION

• Compassion involves feeling another person's pain and wanting to

take steps to help relieve their suffering. The word compassion itself
derives from Latin and means "to suffer together."
• It is related to other emotions such as sympathy, empathy, and
altruism, although the concepts have some key differences. Empathy
refers more to the general ability to take another person's perspective
and feel the emotions of others. Compassion, on the other hand, is
what happens when those feelings of empathy are accompanied by
the desire to help.
Signs of Compassion

• Some signs that you have compassion for others include:

• Feeling like you have a great deal in common with other people, even if you are
very different in many ways.
• Being able to understand what other people are going through and feeling their
pain.
• Being mindful of other people's emotions, thoughts, and experiences.
• Taking action when you see that someone else is suffering.
• Having a high level of emotional intelligence so that you are able to understand,
manage, and act on your own emotions as well as the emotions of others.
• Feeling gratitude when other people express compassion for your own
hardships.
Types of Compassion

• 1-Compassion for others: When you experience compassion for other

people, you feel their pain and want to find a way to relieve their
suffering. These feelings compel you to take action to do what you
can to make the situation better.
• 2-Self-compassion: This involves treating yourself with the same
compassion and kindness that you would show to others. Rather than
beating yourself up over mistakes you may have made in the past, you
feel understanding, mindful, and accepting of yourself and your
imperfections.
How to Improve Compassion
• There are a number of different steps you can take to show compassion to others.
• Speak with kindness
• Apologize when you've made a mistake
• Listen carefully and without judgment
• Encourage other people
• Offer to help someone with a task
• Be happy for someone else's success
• Accept people for who they are
• Forgive people for making mistakes
• Show respect
• Express gratitude and appreciation
• Be patient
• Practice Mindfulness
Impact of Compassion -Compassion can have a positive impact on your life, ranging
from improving your relationships to boosting your overall happiness. Some of the positive effects of compassion:

• Giving feels good- One of the reasons why compassion can be so effective is that both giving and receiving
can improve your psychological well-being. Being the recipient of compassion can help you get the support
you need to carry you through a difficult time. But giving compassion to others can be just as rewarding. For
example, researchers have found that giving money to others who need it actually produces greater
happiness rewards than spending it on ourselves.3
• Compassionate people live longer-Engaging in activities such as volunteering to help those you feel
compassion for can improve your longevity. One study found that people who volunteer out of concern for
others tend to live longer than people who do not volunteer.4
• Compassion contributes to a life of purpose-One study found that the happiness that comes from living a
life of purpose and meaning—one that is fueled by kindness and compassion—can play a role in better
health. In the study, participants who experience what is known as eudaimonic happiness—or the kind of
happiness that comes from living a meaningful life that involves helping others—experienced lower levels
of depression, stronger immunity, and less inflammation.5
• Compassion improves relationships- Compassion can also help you build the social support and
connections that are important for mental well-being. It can also protect your interpersonal relationships.
Research suggests that compassion is a key predictor of the success and satisfaction of relationships.