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Happiness: Gratitude

A guide to happiness, including information on the brain, religion, economics, environment, gratitude, children, and more.

Internet Resources

Gratitude Apps

Gratitude: Journal App

The Gratitude app was born out of a personal need and I had initially built the app for myself. In June 2017, my family and I were struggling with many problems. We were in a constant state of negativity, frustration, and anxiety. My dad was a victim of politics at his job, my mother was not keeping well, my sister and I were struggling at our jobs and figuring out what to do. It felt as if we were constantly attracting negativity and things felt like they were becoming even worse. Available on Android and iOS.

Bliss

Bliss increases happiness, motivation and effectiveness with scientifically proven techniques from top researchers. Psychologists have developed a collection of exercises, or "interventions," which have been proven to increase happiness and other desirable mental traits.Available on both Android and iOS. 

Reflectly Journal & AI Diary

In Reflectly, you are asked to rate your mood and write journal entries each morning. Then, using artificial intelligence, Reflectly analyzes your journal entries to develop journaling prompts personalized for you. Available on both Android and iOS.

365 Gratitude is a science-based gratitude journal that makes self-care fun! No more blank pages - we will send you a new personal gratitude prompt every day with stories that teach life-changing lessons to deal with difficult emotions, cultivate positivity, self-love, joy and much much more. Available on both Android and iOS.

Opening to Joy and Gratitude

Authentic, lasting joy is an internal experience, not dependent upon any circumstances outside of ourselves. Learn how to find authentic joy by opening up to all of life (allowing yourself to feel the full range of your feelings, including those emotions you've been taught to bury) and taking responsibility for your own choices in your unique journey.

Source: Kanopy

Mindfulness at Work: The Power of Appreciation

Continue your look at mindfulness in the workplace with Mike Robbins. Understand the difference between recognition and appreciation, and why appreciation in the workplace can increase employee satisfaction, retention, productivity, and overall mental health. Learn how the mindfulness practice of gratitude can make a difference in your life.

Source: Kanopy

Perspectives

Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier

The first major study of gratitude that shows how “wanting what we have” can measurably change people’s lives.   Did you know that there is a crucial component of happiness that is often overlooked? Robert Emmons—editor-in-chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology—examines what it means to think and feel gratefully in Thanks! and invites readers to learn how to put this powerful emotion into practice. Scientifically speaking, regular grateful thinking can increase happiness by as much as 25 percent, while keeping a gratitude journal for as little as three weeks results in better sleep and more energy. But there's more than science to embrace here: Emmons also bolsters the case for gratitude by weaving in writings of philosophers, novelists, and theologians that illustrate all the benefits grateful living brings. 

The Book of Joy

An instant New York Times bestseller Two spiritual giants. Five days. One timeless question.   Nobel Peace Prize Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have survived more than fifty years of exile and the soul-crushing violence of oppression. Despite their hardships--or, as they would say, because of them--they are two of the most joyful people on the planet. In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering? They traded intimate stories, teased each other continually, and shared their spiritual practices. By the end of a week filled with laughter and punctuated with tears, these two global heroes had stared into the abyss and despair of our time and revealed how to live a life brimming with joy. This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing and unprecendented week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye. We get to listen as they explore the Nature of True Joy and confront each of the Obstacles of Joy--from fear, stress, and anger to grief, illness, and death. They then offer us the Eight Pillars of Joy, which provide the foundation for lasting happiness. Throughout, they include stories, wisdom, and science. Finally, they share their daily Joy Practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. The Archbishop has never claimed sainthood, and the Dalai Lama considers himself a simple monk. In this unique collaboration, they offer us the reflection of real lives filled with pain and turmoil in the midst of which they have been able to discover a level of peace, of courage, and of joy to which we can all aspire in our own lives.

The Kindness Cure

It's time for a kindness revolution. In The Kindness Cure, psychologist Tara Cousineau draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to show how simple practices of kindness--for ourselves, for others, and for our world--can dissolve our feelings of fear and indifference, and open us up to a life of profound happiness. Compassion for ourselves and others is our birthright as humans--hardwired into our DNA and essential to our happiness. But in our fast-paced, technical savvy and hyper competitive world, it may come as no surprise that rates of narcissism have risen, while empathy levels have declined. We now find ourselves in a "cool to be cruel" culture where it's easy to feel disillusioned and dejected in our hearts, homes, and communities. So, how can we reverse this malady of meanness and make kindness and compassion an imperative? The Kindness Cure draws on the latest social and scientific research to reveal how the seemingly "soft skills" of kindness, cooperation, and generosity are fundamental to our survival as a species. In fact, it's our prosocial abilities that put us at the head of the line. Blended with moving case studies and clinical anecdotes, Cousineau offers practical ways to rekindle kindness from the inside out. We are wired to care. The very existence of our human species evolved because of an intricate physiology built for empathy, compassion, and cooperation. Yet we have an epidemic of loneliness, indifference, and cruelty, and we see these destructive trends on a daily basis in our families, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces. This important book teaches effective skills in compassion, mindfulness, and social and emotional learning, and reveals successful social policy initiatives in empathy taking place that inform everything from family life to education to the workplace. Kindness has the exponential power to renew relationships and transform how we think, feel, and behave in the world. Will you be a part of the revolution?

Happiness: A Fickle Queen

We place so much emphasis on pursuing happiness that it often makes us less likely to be happy. Here, examine the relationship between happiness and play, why gratitude lists make you more resilient to stress, and how to train your mind to pay attention to the right kind of happiness.

Source: Kanopy

How gratitude can improve your health, happiness and relationships

Science says being grateful year-round can greatly improve your life. Studies show that expressing gratitude can activate the reward center of the brain and help people connect. Researchers say gratitude is more than just a feeling, it can become a personality trait. It can help people be happier. Jennifer Wallace, a freelance contributor to the Wall Street Journal, joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the science of gratitude and how to nurture the trait in children.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1MT2wEVetU