Why We Believe Gratitude Improves Your Life

Megan, Dry Farm Wines Event Director, and Sergio

At Dry Farm Wines, we start every workday with an open gratitude practice. 

Each person takes a few minutes to express what they are grateful for out loud to the group. It has revolutionized our business and our relationship with each other. 

In fact, gratitude is a well studied practice. A few doctors at the University of Pennsylvania set up an experiment to test it. For some weeks, they tried different positive psychology exercises with 400 participants. 

One week, when the participants were tasked with writing a letter of gratitude to someone who had “never been properly thanked,” the results were staggering. Immediately, participants showed huge increases in happiness scores. What’s more, the scores stayed high even a month after the exercise. 

And this is just one of many studies. Research consistently shows it can improve relationships, increase happiness, and boost self-esteem.

Why do we believe gratitude is so powerful? 

Gratitude is more than saying, thank you. While a “thank you” is a response of appreciation to a specific action or event, gratitude often addresses something deeper. It may bring to light something that would go unnoticed - perhaps a character trait or a small detail.  

Here are 3 ways gratitude can improve your day:

Positive Attitude. When you hear gratitude, you cannot help but feel happy. Gratefulness is a positive emotion; it brings a smile to someone’s face to hear what you are thankful for.

Vulnerability & Connection. Gratitude is a personal feeling. I’m grateful for my mother and all her hard work. This gives you a little more insight into the speaker, who perhaps otherwise would not talk about their mother. It also brings you both closer as friends or family in a way that day-to-day tasks often miss. 

Empathy. Gratitude cuts through the monotony of daily life with genuine empathy. I’m grateful for your intelligent comments or I’m grateful for your smile - these show care and love in a rare way. 

Shawn, Todd, and Luen of Dry Farm Wines showing gratefulness for each other

Dry Farm Wines morning Meditation & Gratitude practice