Dispositional Gratitude

Thanksgiving is a time to stop, reflect, and express gratitude for all the good things in life. We had an email chain going yesterday with each person articulating the specific things for which they are thankful. While this is an enjoyable activity that puts people in the right frame of mind for the holiday, to me, these “feel-good” exercises seem insufficient for the occasion.

This fleeting expression of gratitude does little to alter our day-to-day life during the rest of the year. I have something bigger to ask of you this Thanksgiving.

Instead of listing out the things for which we are thankful, we should challenge ourselves to develop a permanent disposition of gratitude. We should wake each morning with a gracious attitude that recognizes all the little things that make our lives amazing all the time.

People who possess dispositional gratitude are generally happier. They may have big ambitions and face the same little disappointments as the rest of us, but they look around and are forever grateful for the things that they have. They recognize and acknowledge all the help they receive and work hard to “pay it forward” through service to others.

Most of us have plenty of things for which we should be grateful. Now is the time to commit to remembering those things throughout the year to develop a permanent disposition of gratitude that lasts well beyond the holiday season.