Agents of Gratitude
In this course and in the Master’s in Psychology program, you have been introduced to the power of positive psychology research in many aspects of life. One of the most impactful positive interventions that we’ve discussed—and that you will put into practice in this workshop—is gratitude.
Gratitude, however, is not just a modern psychological concept; it has its roots in ancient cultures, as evidenced in this biblical text:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. ( New International Version, 1978/2011, Philippians 4:6–9)
Becoming an agent of gratitude, of practicing thanksgiving in your time with God and giving thanks to others who have impacted you, can set a powerful example for others you work with and even make a life-changing difference.
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:
· Connect biblical principles of gratitude with practical application.
· Identify ways in which practicing gratitude can help others in your coaching practice.
Background Information
A few years ago, I discovered Dr. Martin Seligman’s work on Gratitude Letters and Gratitude Visits. As you’ve discovered, research suggests that if you identify someone in your life who has had a significant impact on you, then write and read a letter of gratitude to them in person, your level of happiness, as well as the recipient’s, will increase for up to a month after the visit.
This little bit of positive psychology research inspired me to think about all the people in my life for whom I was grateful in some way. I then developed a plan of action to test Seligman’s research and see if my mood could be boosted, especially during the dark and melancholic winter months. With Philippians 4:8 (“whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”) as my inspiration, I reflected on, wrote, and hand-delivered letters of gratitude to more than a dozen people every month for a year.
After the first Gratitude Visit, which was with my mother, I noted a significant elevation in my outlook and emotional state. However, I returned to normal the next day. I certainly didn’t experience an increase in my happiness level for a month, as Seligman reported.
I considered whether or not it would be worth my efforts to continue my Gratitude Project for the year. Since it really didn’t make a major and lasting difference in my life, why continue?
I quickly decided that I wasn’t writing the letters only for myself. The main point of gratitude and this experiment was to tell others about their impact on me. It was for them, primarily, not for me. I continued my adventure for the remainder of the year and even beyond. And when I finished the year, I reflected on my experience and realized that I hadn’t felt the same level of depression over the winter months that I was accustomed to in years prior.
As you put gratitude into practice in this workshop, reflect on how it impacts you. But also keep in mind that the power of gratitude is in giving it away, without expectation of how it might make you feel.
Instructions
1. Navigate to the discussion topic and respond to the following prompts:
a. Reflect on Philippians 4:8, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.”
b. Think about this verse in light of someone in your life. Write a paragraph about their noble, good, pure, lovely, and admirable qualities and actions.
c. Write a prayer of thanksgiving for this person.
2. Your postings should also:
a. Be well developed by providing clear answers with evidence of critical thinking.
b. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas.
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