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The Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good
"The Gratitude Project explores gratitude's deep roots in human psychology-how it evolved and how it affects our brain-as well as the transformative impact it has on creating a meaningful life and a better world. This book is the result of a multiyear collaboration between the Greater Good Science Center and Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis, with essays based on new research and written by renowned positive psychologists and public figures"--
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2020
106 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Adam Smith
10 books14 followersJeremy Adam Smith is the author of The Daddy Shift, forthcoming from Beacon Press in June 2009; co-editor of The Compassionate Instinct, forthcoming from W.W. Norton & Co. in January 2010; and co-editor of Are We Born Racist?, which Beacon Press will publish in Spring 2010.
He is senior editor of Greater Good magazine, published by the U.C. Berkeley Greater Good Science Center. “Greater Good magazine offers the best coverage anywhere of the emerging science of empathy, altruism and compassion--plus the writing makes technical findings a pleasure to read about,” says Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence.
Jeremy is also the founder of Daddy Dialectic, a group blog that explores the experiences of twenty-first-century dads, which has earned praise from the Washington Post, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and many corners of the blogosphere.
His essays, short stories, and articles on parenting, popular culture, urban life, and politics have appeared in AlterNet, The Nation, Mothering, Mothers Movement Online, Our Stories, Public Eye, San Francisco Bay Guardian, San Francisco Chronicle, Utne Reader, Wired, and numerous other periodicals and books, most recently the anthology Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power. Jeremy has also been interviewed by many media outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, Nightline, The Forum with Michael Krasny, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, KPFA, Newhouse News Service, Toronto Star, SF Weekly, and Chicago Reader.
His book, The Daddy Shift, will tell the stories of fathers who have embraced caregiving and egalitarian marriages, explore the hopes and ideals that inform their choices, and analyze the economic and social developments that have made their choices possible. “Forty years ago, a man who wanted to share child-care equally with his wife would have been called 'deviant' and a wife who wanted him to would have been condemned as an 'unnatural' mother,” says Stephanie Coontz, historian and author of Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. “The Daddy Shift shows how far we have come and how much we have to gain by completing this revolution in marriage and parenthood.”
He is senior editor of Greater Good magazine, published by the U.C. Berkeley Greater Good Science Center. “Greater Good magazine offers the best coverage anywhere of the emerging science of empathy, altruism and compassion--plus the writing makes technical findings a pleasure to read about,” says Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence.
Jeremy is also the founder of Daddy Dialectic, a group blog that explores the experiences of twenty-first-century dads, which has earned praise from the Washington Post, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and many corners of the blogosphere.
His essays, short stories, and articles on parenting, popular culture, urban life, and politics have appeared in AlterNet, The Nation, Mothering, Mothers Movement Online, Our Stories, Public Eye, San Francisco Bay Guardian, San Francisco Chronicle, Utne Reader, Wired, and numerous other periodicals and books, most recently the anthology Men Speak Out: Views on Gender, Sex and Power. Jeremy has also been interviewed by many media outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, Nightline, The Forum with Michael Krasny, The Agenda with Steve Paikin, KPFA, Newhouse News Service, Toronto Star, SF Weekly, and Chicago Reader.
His book, The Daddy Shift, will tell the stories of fathers who have embraced caregiving and egalitarian marriages, explore the hopes and ideals that inform their choices, and analyze the economic and social developments that have made their choices possible. “Forty years ago, a man who wanted to share child-care equally with his wife would have been called 'deviant' and a wife who wanted him to would have been condemned as an 'unnatural' mother,” says Stephanie Coontz, historian and author of Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage. “The Daddy Shift shows how far we have come and how much we have to gain by completing this revolution in marriage and parenthood.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 20, 2020
This book had two things going for it, right from the start. First, it’s from the Greater Good Science Center. I’m a big fan of their short and positive podcasts. Second, due to my busy schedule, I’m really enjoying shorter books and essay books at the moment. This book falls into the latter category.
This Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good is broken into 6 units. The units are: the roots and meaning of gratitude, the Impact of gratitude, how to be grateful, how to be a grateful family, how to foster gratefulness around you and conversations about the transformative potential of gratitude. These units are unified by a common thread – focusing on acknowledging the
goodness in life. And who doesn't appreciate positivity?
I really feel there is something for everyone in this book. I recommend it to all ages.
This Gratitude Project: How the Science of Thankfulness Can Rewire Our Brains for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good is broken into 6 units. The units are: the roots and meaning of gratitude, the Impact of gratitude, how to be grateful, how to be a grateful family, how to foster gratefulness around you and conversations about the transformative potential of gratitude. These units are unified by a common thread – focusing on acknowledging the
goodness in life. And who doesn't appreciate positivity?
I really feel there is something for everyone in this book. I recommend it to all ages.
October 2, 2020
Didn't love this one. I found it dry and boring. Read more like a research paper than the self-help book I was expecting from the cover and description.
**Arc Via NetGalley**
**Arc Via NetGalley**
February 20, 2021
There is not a single thing wrong with the content in this book on gratitude except the way it is compiled. I felt like I was reading someone’s thesis or research paper. Really good nuggets of information and research on gratitude. Just extremely boring to read.
September 9, 2020
The Gratitude Project, edited by Jeremy Adam Smith et al., is a project of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley in California. It includes chapters by a number of different authors on various aspects of gratitude.
I liked that the book took a realistic approach to what gratitude can and can not do. Take this quote from the beginning of the book, for example:
“First, gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received. This doesn’t mean that life is perfect; it doesn’t ignore complaints, burdens, and hassles. But when we look at life as a whole, gratitude encourages us to identify some amount of goodness in our life. It’s easy to miss the good, because we simply get used to it.”
The book explains that secondly, gratitude involves identifying the sources outside of ourselves that have provided us with goodness.
Research has shown that animals can experience some form of gratitude. In humans, the capacity for gratitude first starts to develop around 3 years old. On average, women tend to be more grateful than men. The more gratitude is practiced, the greater the value that the brain places on benefit to others rather than the self. Keeping a gratitude journal was identified as a good way to develop more gratitude.
Gratitude may have positive health effects by decreasing inflammation. One study found that depression can cause structural changes in the same area of the brain as what’s activated when experiencing gratitude. The book doesn’t suggest that gratitude is the psychological cure for depression, though. The authors explain that “Practicing gratitude magnifies positive feelings more than it reduces negative feelings.” That sounds quite reasonable.
Studies were discussed that have shown that gratitude improves commitment to a significant other, and also commitment to working on the relationship. The book also said that “gratitude thrives on specificity, so it’s best to be specific when expressing gratitude for something that someone has done. If one partner is contributing a lot more work around the home, the other partner is likely to start to expect it, and then they’re less likely to experience gratitude for the partner’s contribution.
The last few chapters were based on interviews with Buddhist author Jack Kornfield, comedian W. Kamau Bell, and others.
There was definitely some interesting information in this book. Overall, though, it was packed with a lot of information and research findings, and I found it a bit much, even though the research studies were explained clearly. Then again, I was struggling with depression-related concentration problems while reading it. I think it would make a good book for anyone who was looking to gain a deeper understanding of gratitude and the science behind it.
I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
I liked that the book took a realistic approach to what gratitude can and can not do. Take this quote from the beginning of the book, for example:
“First, gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received. This doesn’t mean that life is perfect; it doesn’t ignore complaints, burdens, and hassles. But when we look at life as a whole, gratitude encourages us to identify some amount of goodness in our life. It’s easy to miss the good, because we simply get used to it.”
The book explains that secondly, gratitude involves identifying the sources outside of ourselves that have provided us with goodness.
Research has shown that animals can experience some form of gratitude. In humans, the capacity for gratitude first starts to develop around 3 years old. On average, women tend to be more grateful than men. The more gratitude is practiced, the greater the value that the brain places on benefit to others rather than the self. Keeping a gratitude journal was identified as a good way to develop more gratitude.
Gratitude may have positive health effects by decreasing inflammation. One study found that depression can cause structural changes in the same area of the brain as what’s activated when experiencing gratitude. The book doesn’t suggest that gratitude is the psychological cure for depression, though. The authors explain that “Practicing gratitude magnifies positive feelings more than it reduces negative feelings.” That sounds quite reasonable.
Studies were discussed that have shown that gratitude improves commitment to a significant other, and also commitment to working on the relationship. The book also said that “gratitude thrives on specificity, so it’s best to be specific when expressing gratitude for something that someone has done. If one partner is contributing a lot more work around the home, the other partner is likely to start to expect it, and then they’re less likely to experience gratitude for the partner’s contribution.
The last few chapters were based on interviews with Buddhist author Jack Kornfield, comedian W. Kamau Bell, and others.
There was definitely some interesting information in this book. Overall, though, it was packed with a lot of information and research findings, and I found it a bit much, even though the research studies were explained clearly. Then again, I was struggling with depression-related concentration problems while reading it. I think it would make a good book for anyone who was looking to gain a deeper understanding of gratitude and the science behind it.
I received a reviewer copy from the publisher through Netgalley.
September 26, 2020
Gratitude is trending in positive psychology circles, and none-too-late. “The promise of gratitude is not just to make us happy and healthy but also to motivate us to improve our own lives—and even, one might say, become more productive members of society and better citizens of the world” (p. 51). I'm a huge fan of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, by whom this book was collected and published. My life experiences and epigenetics have made me into a chronic pessimist, but education, therapy, Buddhist philosophy, and constantly growing self-awareness have let me know nothing is static. It is never too late to learn, and grow, with wisdom as a guide . . . if you fling the door wide open to it.
The United States appears to be tearing apart at the seams, with sociopathy dominating the news feeds and doom-scrolling sending millions into anxiety and depression. The reasons for this are complex on one hand and flagrantly apparent on the other, for those who seek them out. Olga Khazan wrote an interesting piece in The Atlantic titled “A Failure of Empathy Led to 200,000 Deaths. It Has Deep Roots” (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...), asking this crucial question: “In reality, the COVID-19 death toll probably passed 200,000 some time ago. And yet ‘the photos of body bags have not had the same effect in the pandemic’ as after other mass-casualty events such as Hurricane Katrina, says Lori Peek, a sociologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies disasters. ‘Is our national empathy—our care and love and concern for one another—at such a low level that we are not truly feeling, in our bones, in our hearts, and in our souls, the magnitude of the loss?’”
Khazan then goes on to explain the massive Moral Machine Experiment, with 40 million decisions calculated across 233 countries, and the results published in OCT 2018. It explains much despite the test parameters that force one to choose who exactly gets killed by a malfunctioning vehicle, but the results aren’t terribly surprising. I guess what is surprising is that most people would prefer not to make incredibly tough decisions with little time to ponder them. Welcome to life on the front lines. Still, Khazan adds, “Part of the reason this majority-white, majority-non-elderly country has been so blasé about COVID-19 deaths is that mostly Black people and old people are dying. Eight out of 10 American COVID-19 deaths have been among people older than 65; the rest of the dead are disproportionately Black.” This is true of course—most care little for “out-groups” to the still-dominant theme of the whitewashed American History. But we must also face the fact that our 8-second attention spans love explosions over body bags, splashed blood over cold corpses, twerking teens over bedridden seniors, stimulating visuals over numbing statistics. Technology has programmed us this way biochemically. 200,000 deaths is horrendous. It’s more horrendous knowing they were caused by complete incompetence, arrogant ignorance, and massive disinformation campaigns by those in power that cared not for non-whites and the elderly. This is American History.
Culture tells us much about social psychology. Research in gratitude is finding interesting differences across cultures too: “American culture tends to be very individualistic, in contrast with collectivistic cultures that put much more emphasis on the social group. This is an important distinction, because (despite their underrepresentation in gratitude research) 85 percent of the world's population lives in cultures that researchers deem as more collectivistic” (p. 64). It makes sense for someone like me who has visited other parts of the world as a tourist and a soldier. Many other cultures have gratitude and thankfulness woven deep into their fabric. Here in the US where greed, selfishness, toxic masculinity, wanton materialism, and polarizing sectarianism are only seemingly getting worse, does the concept of gratitude take on necessary—if not crucial—need. “Gratitude is a social behavior—a prosocial one, to be specific—that strengthens our connections with other people, and our words make those connections visible. However, gratefulness is also a deeply private matter, a feeling that we must cultivate inside ourselves” (p. 73).
Like so much, it starts with the self, through love and loss, illness and trauma, anxiety and wonderment—from the womb to the tomb—gratitude can be another paver on the path towards humility, human connectivity, a strengthened sense of community, and an anti-racist evolution. The research shows—again like so much else—that children brought up under gratitude-expressing caregivers become better humans, better citizens, and holistically healthier people. The power of parenting can never be underestimated. Homo sapiens breed like rabbits, and there are too many lousy parents failing to do their basic mammalian duties, let alone enlightening their children to be better global citizens. This book will help with that too. There's research, analyses, and recommendations for couples, families, school settings, and work environs, and it's funny, but all one really needs to begin this path is a pencil and some paper and a little selfless thinking: “Perhaps the most commonly used technique for boosting gratitude—among adults and youth alike—is a gratitude journal” (p. 136). That's all; have at it.
The most hook-sinking essay for me was by Shawn Taylor, titled “Gratitude is a Survival Skill”. No matter what your life experiences are, or what your belief system entails, no matter what age or IQ or gender identity you possess, change starts with you, and it can be incredibly empowering. Sharing that power with others magnifies it, replicates it, attempts to change society from the inside out. The optimists are hopeful such a societal transformation will happen in due time.
GGSC also has this free gratitude-sharing site one must register on: https://www.thnx4.org/. It's definitely worth a look, and I'd encourage you to take their challenge, because in the US specifically: "Our society will continue to face serious problems and threats, like global warming and inequality. But perhaps, if we feel more connected to each other and grateful for what we have, we'll have more strength and resilience to address them” (p. 172).
I was participating in a work webinar this week and a Hawaiian lady was explaining the word “ohana” to us. Her endpoint was this: “No matter how inconvenient it is, you are never too busy to be kind.” I was quietly floored by the simplistic beauty of that line. Like Jill Suttie mentions in her contribution to this book, “wherever we go, we can be a beacon of well-being, love, and care that not only touches but also uplifts those whom we encounter.” I doubt I'll ever be a glassy-eyed optimist, but my shade of pessimism may lighten by a tint or two in time. Change inevitably takes time, as well as an incredible amount of effort. While I’m sure most reviewers for this will be hyper-positive, silver-lining-looking, yoga-and-chai-drinking college grads, let’s hope some readers experience life from the bottom-side of the coin and still seek to better themselves with such a damn good book.
The United States appears to be tearing apart at the seams, with sociopathy dominating the news feeds and doom-scrolling sending millions into anxiety and depression. The reasons for this are complex on one hand and flagrantly apparent on the other, for those who seek them out. Olga Khazan wrote an interesting piece in The Atlantic titled “A Failure of Empathy Led to 200,000 Deaths. It Has Deep Roots” (https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/...), asking this crucial question: “In reality, the COVID-19 death toll probably passed 200,000 some time ago. And yet ‘the photos of body bags have not had the same effect in the pandemic’ as after other mass-casualty events such as Hurricane Katrina, says Lori Peek, a sociologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies disasters. ‘Is our national empathy—our care and love and concern for one another—at such a low level that we are not truly feeling, in our bones, in our hearts, and in our souls, the magnitude of the loss?’”
Khazan then goes on to explain the massive Moral Machine Experiment, with 40 million decisions calculated across 233 countries, and the results published in OCT 2018. It explains much despite the test parameters that force one to choose who exactly gets killed by a malfunctioning vehicle, but the results aren’t terribly surprising. I guess what is surprising is that most people would prefer not to make incredibly tough decisions with little time to ponder them. Welcome to life on the front lines. Still, Khazan adds, “Part of the reason this majority-white, majority-non-elderly country has been so blasé about COVID-19 deaths is that mostly Black people and old people are dying. Eight out of 10 American COVID-19 deaths have been among people older than 65; the rest of the dead are disproportionately Black.” This is true of course—most care little for “out-groups” to the still-dominant theme of the whitewashed American History. But we must also face the fact that our 8-second attention spans love explosions over body bags, splashed blood over cold corpses, twerking teens over bedridden seniors, stimulating visuals over numbing statistics. Technology has programmed us this way biochemically. 200,000 deaths is horrendous. It’s more horrendous knowing they were caused by complete incompetence, arrogant ignorance, and massive disinformation campaigns by those in power that cared not for non-whites and the elderly. This is American History.
Culture tells us much about social psychology. Research in gratitude is finding interesting differences across cultures too: “American culture tends to be very individualistic, in contrast with collectivistic cultures that put much more emphasis on the social group. This is an important distinction, because (despite their underrepresentation in gratitude research) 85 percent of the world's population lives in cultures that researchers deem as more collectivistic” (p. 64). It makes sense for someone like me who has visited other parts of the world as a tourist and a soldier. Many other cultures have gratitude and thankfulness woven deep into their fabric. Here in the US where greed, selfishness, toxic masculinity, wanton materialism, and polarizing sectarianism are only seemingly getting worse, does the concept of gratitude take on necessary—if not crucial—need. “Gratitude is a social behavior—a prosocial one, to be specific—that strengthens our connections with other people, and our words make those connections visible. However, gratefulness is also a deeply private matter, a feeling that we must cultivate inside ourselves” (p. 73).
Like so much, it starts with the self, through love and loss, illness and trauma, anxiety and wonderment—from the womb to the tomb—gratitude can be another paver on the path towards humility, human connectivity, a strengthened sense of community, and an anti-racist evolution. The research shows—again like so much else—that children brought up under gratitude-expressing caregivers become better humans, better citizens, and holistically healthier people. The power of parenting can never be underestimated. Homo sapiens breed like rabbits, and there are too many lousy parents failing to do their basic mammalian duties, let alone enlightening their children to be better global citizens. This book will help with that too. There's research, analyses, and recommendations for couples, families, school settings, and work environs, and it's funny, but all one really needs to begin this path is a pencil and some paper and a little selfless thinking: “Perhaps the most commonly used technique for boosting gratitude—among adults and youth alike—is a gratitude journal” (p. 136). That's all; have at it.
The most hook-sinking essay for me was by Shawn Taylor, titled “Gratitude is a Survival Skill”. No matter what your life experiences are, or what your belief system entails, no matter what age or IQ or gender identity you possess, change starts with you, and it can be incredibly empowering. Sharing that power with others magnifies it, replicates it, attempts to change society from the inside out. The optimists are hopeful such a societal transformation will happen in due time.
GGSC also has this free gratitude-sharing site one must register on: https://www.thnx4.org/. It's definitely worth a look, and I'd encourage you to take their challenge, because in the US specifically: "Our society will continue to face serious problems and threats, like global warming and inequality. But perhaps, if we feel more connected to each other and grateful for what we have, we'll have more strength and resilience to address them” (p. 172).
I was participating in a work webinar this week and a Hawaiian lady was explaining the word “ohana” to us. Her endpoint was this: “No matter how inconvenient it is, you are never too busy to be kind.” I was quietly floored by the simplistic beauty of that line. Like Jill Suttie mentions in her contribution to this book, “wherever we go, we can be a beacon of well-being, love, and care that not only touches but also uplifts those whom we encounter.” I doubt I'll ever be a glassy-eyed optimist, but my shade of pessimism may lighten by a tint or two in time. Change inevitably takes time, as well as an incredible amount of effort. While I’m sure most reviewers for this will be hyper-positive, silver-lining-looking, yoga-and-chai-drinking college grads, let’s hope some readers experience life from the bottom-side of the coin and still seek to better themselves with such a damn good book.
May 29, 2025
Like Dacher Keltner’s AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it can Transform Your Life, The Gratitude Project tells the reader how simply paying attention to the gifts that we experience all the time, and responding positively toward those gifts and toward the giver can have a positive impact on our well-being and the well-being of those around us. This uplifting, informative little book includes dozens of essays and stories from a wide range of writers, mostly but not exclusively academics working in varying social science fields. While the word “science” appears in the subtitle, the science is not off-putting but consists of descriptions of studies and surveys conducted by the writers and others in similar fields. One blurb writer says it succinctly: “In these difficult times, The Gratitude Project is timely and beautiful. It offers marvelous, wise, loving, and scientific ways to uplift and nourish the heart.” (Jack Kornfield)
January 5, 2021
I really enjoyed this scientific book on various research projects that have been done on gratitude. For one thing, I was totally unaware that scientists were studying gratitude. Neuro-scientists have even conducted brain scans to find out which part of the brain are stimulated when people are feeling grateful.
This book is actually a collection of essays by a variety of different gratitude researchers (neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists or doctors etc...) and the essays are organized into 6 parts. The six parts are: 1. roots and meaning of gratitude (origins), 2. Impact of Gratitude, 3. How to be Grateful 4. How to be a grateful family 5. How to foster gratefulness around you 6. conversations about the transformative potential of gratitude.
It may be a bit misleading to have classified this book in self-help, as it is really a combination of essays that reflect on research-based experiments or personal experiences while working in the gratitude field. It is certainly possible to apply things that these researchers talk about in your life, and they do provide some tips, but this book really comes at gratitude from a scientific angle.
If you enjoy reading about how scientists study issues like gratitude, and are curious about the research behind gratitude, then this book is for you. If you are looking for a self-help how-to book, chock full of tips and strategies, other books might be better adapted for this.
This book is actually a collection of essays by a variety of different gratitude researchers (neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists or doctors etc...) and the essays are organized into 6 parts. The six parts are: 1. roots and meaning of gratitude (origins), 2. Impact of Gratitude, 3. How to be Grateful 4. How to be a grateful family 5. How to foster gratefulness around you 6. conversations about the transformative potential of gratitude.
It may be a bit misleading to have classified this book in self-help, as it is really a combination of essays that reflect on research-based experiments or personal experiences while working in the gratitude field. It is certainly possible to apply things that these researchers talk about in your life, and they do provide some tips, but this book really comes at gratitude from a scientific angle.
If you enjoy reading about how scientists study issues like gratitude, and are curious about the research behind gratitude, then this book is for you. If you are looking for a self-help how-to book, chock full of tips and strategies, other books might be better adapted for this.
July 18, 2020
I didn't expect anything less than a well-researched book from the Greater Good Science Center. As an avid consumer of positive psychology, many of the ideas in this book are things that I've heard before, but the science and research behind them are well-laid out and top notch. This book is essentially a series of essays organized into topics, which made it good for bite-sized reading. Overall, I enjoyed!
I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an electronic copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2020
Get out your highlighter. There were so many gems. My favorite, “Perhaps gratitude can be part of the solution to the problems generated by inequality.” For me this set up the promise of hope that the devides in our society can be overcome. Several of the essays confirmed this idea with the research they highlighted.
All of the contributors wrote in easy to understand language. Many of the chapters included practical advice to include increasing gratitude in families, schools, and work places.
After finishing The Gratitude Project, I am determined to include more gratitude in my life.
What the world needs now is more gratitude.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
All of the contributors wrote in easy to understand language. Many of the chapters included practical advice to include increasing gratitude in families, schools, and work places.
After finishing The Gratitude Project, I am determined to include more gratitude in my life.
What the world needs now is more gratitude.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.
Read
May 23, 2021If you're interested in learning about gratitude, this is a well-researched, authoritative and accessible book. Thanks to the groundswell of research on this topic in the past 20 years, we now know a lot about exactly how gratitude works, and its benefits for our well-being and sense of being connected to others. After reading this, I was inspired to commit to a consistent gratitude practice.
June 25, 2022
As a psychologist, I already had good awareness of the importance of gratitude. However, I loved how this book laid out the research evidence in a simple, extremely readable format. Highly recommended!
June 22, 2020
This book is not at all what I expected from the cover and description. It reads like a research paper. After the first few sections I scanned the rest to see if there was anything worth reading. I'm sure it's a decent read if you're looking for research on gratitude, but if you're looking for an uplifting book (as the cover and description led me to believe), skip it.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is my first ever review under 3 stars. :(
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is my first ever review under 3 stars. :(
July 29, 2020
I was given this advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review through netgalley.
I can whole-heartedly say that this was a well-researched book from the Greater Good Science Center that had many contributors and facts to support it's thesis. Although this book isn't one that I would typically choose, it made tons of great points and insights into the topic of gratitude.
I was hoping that this book would read more as a self help book. Unfortunately, it was not but instead was more of a research paper filled with case studies, statistics, and personal stories to back up its claims.
This book goes in depth on Gratitude and all of its facets. Gratitude is ultimately an affirmation of goodness. We acknowledged that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits that we've received. True gratitude involves a humble dependence on others. Others have given us gifts, whether big or small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives. When you're grateful, you have the sense that someone else is looking out for you. Gratitude is not just about how we give thanks to others but about how we receive things in the world. It has been tested that gratitude could be a helpful part of therapy and could reduce depression among people with chronic disease. Keeping a gratitude journal has many benefits, especially mental.
If you are grateful at a young age, you tend to have higher GPAs, participate in more extra-curricular activities, and have a stronger desire to contribute to society. Ultimately, we must realize that you cannot get through life without the benefits and the gifts and the strengths and the social resources and the intellectual resources of other people. You have to admit to yourself that you are not whole without others.
Gratitude strengthens our connections with other individuals. If we're willing and and able to look, we can find a reason to feel grateful even to people who have harmed us; there is always a lesson to takeaway from every situation. We need to accept gratitude into our lives as well as putting it back out to others.
I can whole-heartedly say that this was a well-researched book from the Greater Good Science Center that had many contributors and facts to support it's thesis. Although this book isn't one that I would typically choose, it made tons of great points and insights into the topic of gratitude.
I was hoping that this book would read more as a self help book. Unfortunately, it was not but instead was more of a research paper filled with case studies, statistics, and personal stories to back up its claims.
This book goes in depth on Gratitude and all of its facets. Gratitude is ultimately an affirmation of goodness. We acknowledged that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits that we've received. True gratitude involves a humble dependence on others. Others have given us gifts, whether big or small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives. When you're grateful, you have the sense that someone else is looking out for you. Gratitude is not just about how we give thanks to others but about how we receive things in the world. It has been tested that gratitude could be a helpful part of therapy and could reduce depression among people with chronic disease. Keeping a gratitude journal has many benefits, especially mental.
If you are grateful at a young age, you tend to have higher GPAs, participate in more extra-curricular activities, and have a stronger desire to contribute to society. Ultimately, we must realize that you cannot get through life without the benefits and the gifts and the strengths and the social resources and the intellectual resources of other people. You have to admit to yourself that you are not whole without others.
Gratitude strengthens our connections with other individuals. If we're willing and and able to look, we can find a reason to feel grateful even to people who have harmed us; there is always a lesson to takeaway from every situation. We need to accept gratitude into our lives as well as putting it back out to others.
August 29, 2020
A Deep Look at Gratitude
Of course, gratitude is a hot buzzword these days. As someone who reviews a lot of books, I have seen so many on gratitude, including gratitude journals specifically for children, women, and other groups of people. But I've never seen a book quite like this. It is a collection of long and short essays by several authors that take a surprisingly deep dive into the concept of gratitude. The book starts with defining what it is, of course, as well as the science of it, looking at it in primates and within our own brains. The book then discusses the impact that gratitude can have on us personally and how gender and culture can shape it differently and affect its impact. The third part is about how you can cultivate it within yourself, work with a gratitude journal (and how to approach it if gratitude exercises make you feel bad), and rounds out the discussion by looking at how grief and loss can affect gratitude The book also talks about cultivating gratitude as a family, with several articles being about gratitude for the couple before discussing how to nurture gratitude in children. As someone who felt underappreciated by my ex-husband, some of these chapters could have been beneficial! The book goes further than the nuclear family, though, also looking at how gratitude can be projected outward and cultivated at school, work, and other places. If you're looking for a simple book on gratitude, this is not it. But if you think you would appreciate looking at it from a variety of angles, including some surprising ones, you may very well enjoy this book as much as I did.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
Of course, gratitude is a hot buzzword these days. As someone who reviews a lot of books, I have seen so many on gratitude, including gratitude journals specifically for children, women, and other groups of people. But I've never seen a book quite like this. It is a collection of long and short essays by several authors that take a surprisingly deep dive into the concept of gratitude. The book starts with defining what it is, of course, as well as the science of it, looking at it in primates and within our own brains. The book then discusses the impact that gratitude can have on us personally and how gender and culture can shape it differently and affect its impact. The third part is about how you can cultivate it within yourself, work with a gratitude journal (and how to approach it if gratitude exercises make you feel bad), and rounds out the discussion by looking at how grief and loss can affect gratitude The book also talks about cultivating gratitude as a family, with several articles being about gratitude for the couple before discussing how to nurture gratitude in children. As someone who felt underappreciated by my ex-husband, some of these chapters could have been beneficial! The book goes further than the nuclear family, though, also looking at how gratitude can be projected outward and cultivated at school, work, and other places. If you're looking for a simple book on gratitude, this is not it. But if you think you would appreciate looking at it from a variety of angles, including some surprising ones, you may very well enjoy this book as much as I did.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
January 6, 2022
Gratitude has become so performative in American culture, and I appreciate the ways in which this book encourages a more authentic, personal practice. Beyond the 'how' of expressing gratitude, the authors offer a mental and emotional benefits rationale, and explore how gratitude can foster connection and healthier, more satisfying relationships - with ourselves and others. The space dedicated to feeling gratitude through loss and hardship is so important, and the reframing strategies are incredibly helpful for those who may be struggling. I also enjoyed the tips for fostering gratitude in children and in our environments like school, work, and healthcare settings - and implications for broader society. The biggest overarching takeaway is that authentic gratitude can make an impact and effect change across the entire social ecological model, from the individual to relationships to community and society - and that each of us can start small and make a positive difference.
I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 14, 2020
We chose this book for our book club, and I made it further in the book than anyone else. The book is composed of short segments by various authors. Everyone in my book club was primed to enjoy this book and get something from it. However, it was rare that any of the segments had anything compelling to offer in terms of results, data, or inspiration for personal practice. Several studies in the first fifty pages seemed particularly questionable to me and to others in my book club. Perhaps the studies were well done, but the way the studies were written about didn't provide enough evidence to clarify that. In fact, a little over fifty pages in, there is a section that notes other studies have not found the same benefits/impacts.
This book would have benefited greatly from a designer and one editor to tie everything together, make study results easier to understand and remember, and make the book more pleasant to read.
This book would have benefited greatly from a designer and one editor to tie everything together, make study results easier to understand and remember, and make the book more pleasant to read.
February 22, 2023
Discovered this gem through the Greater Good Science Center found at https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ , a website I've followed for some time now.
Everyone will say it is important to be grateful or to express gratitude to those around us, but this goes in additional directions including the effects on the mind and the body, on stress, and the impact on relationships that are both close to us and those we don't know well. It's about the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of gratitude. In this large scope, there is literally some take-away for everyone.
Written by a wealth of well-known authors and teachers, this is a stellar product. Yes, it occasionally gets bogged down in the science that verifies their findings, but the entries are quite brief. The intent is to make your own life better but also the world as a whole. Nothing "sweet" about this and lots to consider. Worth your time.
Everyone will say it is important to be grateful or to express gratitude to those around us, but this goes in additional directions including the effects on the mind and the body, on stress, and the impact on relationships that are both close to us and those we don't know well. It's about the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects of gratitude. In this large scope, there is literally some take-away for everyone.
Written by a wealth of well-known authors and teachers, this is a stellar product. Yes, it occasionally gets bogged down in the science that verifies their findings, but the entries are quite brief. The intent is to make your own life better but also the world as a whole. Nothing "sweet" about this and lots to consider. Worth your time.
September 1, 2020
The Gratitude Project is more a scientific book then it is a self-help book. I feel knowing this beforehand is important because it would be easy to read the title and classify this as a self-help book which I feel will leave people disappointed when they read the book. However, I feel that this book with all of its research and areas of study can help the reader so much. Unlike a lot of books that prompt one to find gratitude in simple and generic ways, this book analyzes gratitude in an array of ways - from genetics to cultural components. It is a well-researched book that will help shape the way you approach gratitude in your daily life, how it is passed on, and how it shapes the world around you. You are not getting any generic passages in The Gratitude Project. The book is specific and will help you shape your thought processes in a grateful way.
November 10, 2020
I recently read The Gratitude Project by Jeremy Adam Smith because don’t we all need more gratitude to improve our life? Gratitude is a central practice for me, so this book appealed to me. This book includes essays, activities, & shared stories. It focuses on the how & why behind gratitude & its influence in our lives by including research & statistics that go beyond simple statements about the influence of gratitude. The book also includes a look at how culture & gender impact our experience & practice of gratitude. I really enjoyed the section on gratitude & how it impacts a relationship or marriage. I enjoyed reading the book & if you’re wonky about gratitude, then this is a book for you! Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
November 25, 2020
If you’re like me – a person who has been practising gratitude and reading up as much as you can about it, then you’ve certainly read some of the resources from the Greater Good Science Center. So when I got this book to review, I wasn’t expecting something new, but a handy compilation of the research on gratitude. I wasn’t disappointed at all.
The book is full of facts on how gratitude positively impacts so many areas of our lives and leads to a much better approach to life. It also has practical suggestions on how you can make gratitude a part of your daily life.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to understand gratitude in a deeper way and read the research on gratitude.
The book is full of facts on how gratitude positively impacts so many areas of our lives and leads to a much better approach to life. It also has practical suggestions on how you can make gratitude a part of your daily life.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to understand gratitude in a deeper way and read the research on gratitude.
June 15, 2021
I’m glad this book was written, but I confess I didn’t finish reading it. Given my interest in forgiveness, I’m grateful that related topics like gratitude, thankfulness, resilience, and optimism are being given scientific scrutiny. It’s not the kind of publication that one is likely to read from cover to cover, however, but rather a “pick-up” series of articles, each of which could stand alone. To tell the truth, given the current state of our world, I find it very hopeful that these topics are getting the attention they deserve.
As for rating it, it didn’t seem appropriate even to do so, but given the pressure I chose a rating of 3 as a book to “read.” As a book to “consult” it deserves more.
As for rating it, it didn’t seem appropriate even to do so, but given the pressure I chose a rating of 3 as a book to “read.” As a book to “consult” it deserves more.
August 29, 2022
This was a tad too dry for me. I hate to admit but a lot of the material was too general to make an impact on me. I pretty much skipped the first half—I found the stories versus scientific research on gratitude much more interesting. Chapters 16, 17, and 19 were the best of the book because of how personal they were. Even though I didn’t really enjoy the overall book, I would love to read more from the people who wrote those chapters.
I also enjoyed Arianna Huffington’s essay which included this quote “What I learned through it is that we are not on this earth to accumulate victories, or trophies, or experiences, or even to avoid failures, but to be whittled and sandpapered down until what’s left is who we truly are”.
I also enjoyed Arianna Huffington’s essay which included this quote “What I learned through it is that we are not on this earth to accumulate victories, or trophies, or experiences, or even to avoid failures, but to be whittled and sandpapered down until what’s left is who we truly are”.
June 22, 2020
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really thorough book on how gratitude can be expressed and interpreted to improve our lives.
This book consists mostly of studies that talk about the impact or expression of gratitude and anecdotes from people on how to use or incorporate gratitude into your life. While we all may know that being grateful is good for us, this book does a deep dive on how and why that may be. The book also acknowledges the different ways gratitude is expressed culturally around the world.
Overall it's an interesting and informative read.
This is a really thorough book on how gratitude can be expressed and interpreted to improve our lives.
This book consists mostly of studies that talk about the impact or expression of gratitude and anecdotes from people on how to use or incorporate gratitude into your life. While we all may know that being grateful is good for us, this book does a deep dive on how and why that may be. The book also acknowledges the different ways gratitude is expressed culturally around the world.
Overall it's an interesting and informative read.
July 8, 2020
This book was received as an ARC from New Harbinger Publications, Inc. - New Harbinger in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was waiting for a book like this because we get this topic a lot at our library. Many people underestimate the power of gratitude and humility and the affects it has on positivity. I know this book is going to be well circulated and I especially appreciated the examples and research done by various experts incorporation with personal experiences. We'll be looking forward to sharing this title with our community and seeing their positive reactions.
We will consider adding this title to our Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I was waiting for a book like this because we get this topic a lot at our library. Many people underestimate the power of gratitude and humility and the affects it has on positivity. I know this book is going to be well circulated and I especially appreciated the examples and research done by various experts incorporation with personal experiences. We'll be looking forward to sharing this title with our community and seeing their positive reactions.
We will consider adding this title to our Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
July 16, 2020
We hear a lot about the importance of gratitude in our lives. But why is living with this emotional response and belief so important? For those who are interested in taking a deep dive into the topic, this book collects a number of essays and comes with a good imprimatur. The essays lean toward the academic so be prepared but time spent with this title will be time well spent. Read the book in order or browse. Either way you will be rewarded as you learn more about how the science of thankfulness can "rewire our brains for resilience, optimism and the greater good."
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2020
The Gratitude Project; How Cultivating Thankfulness Can Rewire Your Brain for Resilience, Optimism, and the Greater Good is a fantastic book that explains the benefits of gratitude and how to better practice it in your day to day life.
This collection of essays explains some of the science behind gratitude and the transformation it can have when cultivated. I've been a proponent of gratitude for many years and found this book very informative, but would also be a great beginners guide for those trying to learn more about the effects gratitude can have on your mindset.
Many thanks to New Harbinger Publications and NetGalley for the advance copy.
This collection of essays explains some of the science behind gratitude and the transformation it can have when cultivated. I've been a proponent of gratitude for many years and found this book very informative, but would also be a great beginners guide for those trying to learn more about the effects gratitude can have on your mindset.
Many thanks to New Harbinger Publications and NetGalley for the advance copy.
November 14, 2022
4/5. This is a book that everyone should read as it explains gratitude and its role in our society. Gratitude in its purest form can better our world when received and expressed healthily. Learning about the science behind gratitude and how research backs gratitude as a tool towards proactive living rather than complacency and cycles of ingratitude was enlightening. Readers will have much to take away from this book, allowing them to reflect on their own root causes for feelings of inadequacy or unhappiness and what will motivate them towards understanding what gratitude looks like for them.
August 10, 2020
The Gratitude Project was a good and easy-to-read book. However, most of the information I have already heard about or known. I was hoping to learn new ideas or ways to improve my gratitude in life, and this book focused more on the research and statistics. The chapters do cover a range of ideas, and not every article is for every person. The book's premise did not match the contents, and the information read more like a thesis or research project.
I struggled with rating this but feel it's a 2.5 out of 5 stars.
#TheGratitudeProject #NetGalley
I struggled with rating this but feel it's a 2.5 out of 5 stars.
#TheGratitudeProject #NetGalley
December 10, 2020
I would definitely file this book more under science than self-help...as most of it reads more like scientific reports. There are some general sections that provide concrete things you can do, and the book is nice and broken up allowing you to pick through to what you need. Other parts of it felt very repetitive. Overall, it has made me want to start a gratitude journal and think about gratitude on a deeper level so there’s that. I could see this book coming in handy for some sermons down the road when I want to combine faith and science though it isn’t a religious book.
November 1, 2023
Quick and easy read but definitely a left brain approach to gratitude. Spent the first third of the book frustrated at the constant talk of scientific benefits to gratitude. Prior to getting this book I was convinced at the benefits of gratitude (low downside, high upside) so I was looking for a book that offers more suggestions on practicing gratitude. I ended up skipping a few chapters that I may go back to read at another time but there were definitely some great suggestions that I plan to try out.
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