Daily Question, April 14 What happens when you express gratitude rather than simply feel it? 45 Reflections Share Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Malag2 days agoMalagGratitude is a practice and it acts as a verb. There is action in it. Whether that’s internalising an expression of it or saying it to someone. I’d say it is more powerful than feeling it. There’s also the fake it til you make it angle that you’re more likely to feel it if you act it first. 4 Reply Kristi2 days agoKristiThe people I express gratitude are thankful to hear it and I am happier because o get to enjoy their happiness too. 4 Reply Don Jones3 days agoDon JonesIt brings life to it and everything it touches. 4 Reply Cathie3 days agoCathiePeople smile and open up! It is like a sunbeam breaking through the clouds. 4 Reply Hot Sauce3 days agoHot SauceExpressing gratitude to others allows it to not just be an exercise in self-care, but also allows you to let others know that you appreciate what they have done for you. There is a social element to gratitude, rather than just a personal one. 3 Reply Elaine3 days agoElaine“Bearing witness to gratitude out loud magnifies it.” Thank you Creek! A delicious deepening happens when I SING along with Sara Thomsen’s Rhapsody of Rest. 4 Reply Mike S3 days agoMike SGreat question. I feel my heart rising in my throat. Sometimes when the gratitude is deeply felt I will feel tears.🙂🙏🏼 6 Reply SK3 days agoSKFirst of all it means that I have noticed, felt and been nourished by something or someone. Then, when i give it back to the universe, my soul does cartwheels with happiness. It’s the best feeling ever. It’s like getting a compliment and all you need do is say “thank you”. 6 Reply Michele2 days agoMichele‘cartwheels with happiness’, love that:) 2 Reply AwesomelyHolly3 days agoAwesomelyHollyMy intention for today is to have gratitude for all that is. In every moment since I woke up there has been signs/reminders of how important gratitude is. From the first few pages I read in Brene Browns' "The Gift of Imperfections", meditation that was for Gratitude, and one of the many things I knew would make today great (my birthday) is by expressing gratitude throughout my day, then this question comes along. I believe it's all divine order to actively express it from my heart and let the f...My intention for today is to have gratitude for all that is. In every moment since I woke up there has been signs/reminders of how important gratitude is. From the first few pages I read in Brene Browns’ “The Gift of Imperfections”, meditation that was for Gratitude, and one of the many things I knew would make today great (my birthday) is by expressing gratitude throughout my day, then this question comes along. I believe it’s all divine order to actively express it from my heart and let the feeling follow. It really has started my day on fullness of what is and what can be with no need to control or have expectations JUST GRATITUDE. Read More6 Reply Michele2 days agoMicheleHappy birthday! 2 Reply Trish2 days agoTrishHappy Birthday, Holly❤️ 2 Reply Toni3 days agoToniIt enlarges the resonance of my energy field starting in my heart and like Hassim Haramein describes in Resonance Science. It circles back into me and radiates like Creek said outward to the planet. Personally it makes me feel energized and full expanded and connected to the planet and all is right with my world. The sensation is wholeness, hence holly, fullness of being. Its love! Love expands and fear contracts. It’s in agreement with the laws of quantum physics. 5 Reply Creek3 days agoCreekI think expressing it out loud solidifies and anchors the feeling, enhances the experience, helps it linger and then radiates out more life-affirming energies to others -- all Life and beings on this planet, helps to create a continuously encircling energy of light and gratitude. And I don't think it makes any difference if one expresses to another person, to one's beloved pet, to one's special tree or simply out loud to one's self. Bearing witness to Gratitude outloud just magnifies it. An...I think expressing it out loud solidifies and anchors the feeling, enhances the experience, helps it linger and then radiates out more life-affirming energies to others — all Life and beings on this planet, helps to create a continuously encircling energy of light and gratitude. And I don’t think it makes any difference if one expresses to another person, to one’s beloved pet, to one’s special tree or simply out loud to one’s self. Bearing witness to Gratitude outloud just magnifies it. And thank u for this insightful question as I didn’t realize the truth, to me, of what I just wrote until the question was asked and brought forward this answer. THK U! Read More15 Reply Kevin2 days agoKevinAmen, Creek. And, thank you. 3 Reply Melissa3 days agoMelissaThis says it perfectly Creek. You expressed it so well! 3 Reply Elaine3 days agoElaineMagnifies it. Thank you Creek! 3 Reply Katrina3 days agoKatrinaNot only expressing gratitude to others for their actions and being in the world, but expressing gratitude for the goodness and love around us - the beauty of a day, creation, witnessing a family in the midst of joy, starlight gazing, a great run, a fine day in the garden - expressing gratitude for that - whether it is to God, the Universe, or telling someone about it extends the experience, encourages yourself and others to look for more places of joy and gratitude, which likewise fosters goodn...Not only expressing gratitude to others for their actions and being in the world, but expressing gratitude for the goodness and love around us – the beauty of a day, creation, witnessing a family in the midst of joy, starlight gazing, a great run, a fine day in the garden – expressing gratitude for that – whether it is to God, the Universe, or telling someone about it extends the experience, encourages yourself and others to look for more places of joy and gratitude, which likewise fosters goodness, kindness and joy in the midst of life. Read More6 Reply Holly in Ohio3 days agoHolly in OhioSurprisingly, I have found it depends on the situation. Most people are very receptive to gratitude! They are looking for it and they take it up, agree, and return their own statement of gratitude. They feel lifted up. Together, you share something. But I've also found that a few people, at least some of the time, dig in to their negativity. and I have sometimes been barraged with negative statements or even anger for offering one, mitigating or grateful sentence that they might have used to fe...Surprisingly, I have found it depends on the situation. Most people are very receptive to gratitude! They are looking for it and they take it up, agree, and return their own statement of gratitude. They feel lifted up. Together, you share something. But I’ve also found that a few people, at least some of the time, dig in to their negativity. and I have sometimes been barraged with negative statements or even anger for offering one, mitigating or grateful sentence that they might have used to feel better. What I’ve learned from this is certainly I have to get better at reading a person! I did not feel that offering a statement of gratitude meant that I was unsympathetic to them, but it’s perplexing how heavily invested people can get at times with gloom, or criticism, or sarcasm, even when it means they have to distort the truth to arrive there and stay there. So that answer sounds a little glum, lol. It is fortunately, rare, but it happens often enough. Most of the time expressing gratitude around others makes others feel better, too. We certainly can use more positivity in our communities these days. I’m just trying to recognize and figure out how to be helpful or at least not provocative when someone doesn’t want to hear it. Read More5 Reply Kevin2 days agoKevinBefore I retired, I provided counseling, advocacy and crisis intervention support to children, teens and parents for over three decades.. My walls were plastered with affirming and sometimes challenging statements and images that hopefully got people to pause and think about things differently. A small wooden plaque that young people and/or adults had to see on their way out read, "HAVE A NICE DAY, UNLESS YOU'VE MADE OTHER PLANS." That statement provoked many responses, from "Thank you," to "F-...Before I retired, I provided counseling, advocacy and crisis intervention support to children, teens and parents for over three decades.. My walls were plastered with affirming and sometimes challenging statements and images that hopefully got people to pause and think about things differently. A small wooden plaque that young people and/or adults had to see on their way out read, “HAVE A NICE DAY, UNLESS YOU’VE MADE OTHER PLANS.” That statement provoked many responses, from “Thank you,” to “F— that!” Whatever the response my reply always was, “You’re welcome!” Read More3 Reply Holly in Ohio1 day agoHolly in OhioThank you for sharing that, Kevin! I wonder if it helps to voice gratitude even when the response is adversarial. I almost can’t wait now until it happens again so that I can learn more about it. 0 Reply Kevin12 hours agoKevinOh yes! I actually used to enjoy the challenge of resistant teen clients. They made me do better work. And now and then as they made their way out the door after their appointment, still appearing defiant in every way possible, I always made a point of trying to make eye contact, but either way said, “Thank you for coming in today.” Now and then I’d notice that the corner of their lips move upward, and that’s when I knew I was doing good work. 0 Reply Mica3 days agoMica“a little glum, lol.” Thank you, Holly in Ohio, for that fun juxtaposition. 2 Reply Patricia3 days agoPatriciaIt’s like “incarnation” — it takes on a form of flesh and reality out in the world. 7 Reply Holly in Ohio3 days agoHolly in OhioNice. Or perhaps manifestation? 4 Reply DeVonna3 days agoDeVonnaWhat an interesting question… I feel grateful, certainly, but I’m not sure if I express it enough. I think I would benefit from setting aside a time to just express my gratitude, each day. 6 Reply Carol3 days agoCarolI’ve never met any one who didn’t appreciate being appreciated. It’s life-giving to lift someone up or be lifted up. Just thinking about it brings me joy! 8 Reply Michele2 days agoMicheleI agree and this website is very uplifting:) 1 Reply Trish3 days agoTrishWhen we name it, gratefulness impacts other people. We model the beauty of sharing the power of gratefulness & help others to see an abundance of richness in the world despite all the tragedies. 6 Reply sunnypatti3 days agosunnypattiIt increases! Being in a state of gratitude creates more good energy/more things to be grateful for, no matter if you are just feeling it or expressing it or whatever. I think when I feel it, I usually express it in some form or another as I’m the type of person who wears her heart on her sleeve. I’m not good at hiding my feelings, so my God-moments are seen and therefore shared. It’s the butterfly effect 🙂 7 Reply Howie Geib3 days agoHowie GeibThere is a kind of closure for the recipient in acknowledging the gift.There are also ways the gratitude can be expressed by ‘paying it forward’. Both are ideal. Closure in the sense of bringing into the light, linguistically, the one who bestowed the gift, the act of generosity. It binds the parties almost like a promise, but without the demands of obligation. And even so it honors the one who gave. Paying it forward is another way of honoring, by using the established bond to widen the lin...There is a kind of closure for the recipient in acknowledging the gift.There are also ways the gratitude can be expressed by ‘paying it forward’. Both are ideal. Closure in the sense of bringing into the light, linguistically, the one who bestowed the gift, the act of generosity. It binds the parties almost like a promise, but without the demands of obligation. And even so it honors the one who gave. Paying it forward is another way of honoring, by using the established bond to widen the linkage through action. There are tiny acts, almost postures, ways of holding oneself that projects gratitude. Eye contact and a smile or slight bowing of the head (in times of COVD and masks) as an example. As the person who bestowed the gift, I much prefer seeing the gift being used, or having it paid forward as expressions. I can’t say I do anything as a means of receiving gratitude. The act of giving is an end in itself, and mostly done as a way of paying it forward. Read More7 Reply Holly in Ohio3 days agoHolly in OhioA few weeks ago I was in a grocery store and a stranger stopped me to say, “Even behind the mask, I could tell when you looked at me, you smiled.” That made me feel so good! I was unaware of my gift, but I will never forget theirs to me! You just made clear to me, Howie, that we should not let our masks keep us from these little connections with strangers. Even behind masks, you are SEEING people, and I admire this very gentlemanly act. 4 Reply Holly in Ohio3 days agoHolly in OhioOh Howie, did I tell you I found the books? Apparently when I was cleaning my bedroom floor I put some things in a box and put them onto an adjoining upstairs porch, which has been closed off because of the weather. When it got warm I opened the porch door and there they were! I told cleaning gets me into trouble! LOL. 3 Reply Mica1 day agoMicaSadly, Holly in Ohio, there’s also a waste basket quite near one of the places where my reading glasses often are… but my optometrist would be happy to have a new pair made for me 🙂 I’m lucky that they’re not irreplaceable. 1 Reply Michele2 days agoMicheleyayyyyy 0 Reply Mica3 days agoMicaOh, good, Holly in Ohio. I wonder when and where I’ll find my other pair of reading glasses… 3 Reply Holly in Ohio1 day agoHolly in OhioI find for myself that it is often true that whatever I lost is in, or very near, to the first place I looked when I lost it. In this case, the books were only four or five feet away from where I thought they “should” be. So I guess the moral is, to look harder. Good luck with your reading glasses! 1 Reply Craig K3 days agoCraig KI think expressing gratitude and feeling it are both equal. One does not have to supersede the other. I have been reading a bit about the personality traits introversion and HSP (highly sensitive people). Feeling is easier than expressing for some people. I think the important thing is to be grateful whatever your style or mode. 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