Week 7 Science of Happiness Reflection

 I was once again surprised by the multitude of positive impacts gratitude can have on an individual both mentally and physically. I was aware prior to this week that a positive and grateful mindset is a great way to improve your mood. I was not aware; however, of the lengths gratitude can reach to benefit one’s physical and psychological health. I was happy to learn how gratitude practices can have an impact on blood sugar levels as my grandma struggles with high blood sugar due to stress. I can’t wait to share this learning with her. I feel more at peace with life after learning about the ways a simple mindset change can positively affect physical health. Knowing ways that our minds can be a tool for well-being is comforting, given that much of life can be of our control.  

I thought a lot this week about how gratitude is not a “one size fits all” kind of mental practice. Much of why gratitude is so powerful is because it can be shifted to fit anyone’s circumstances. However, I think that often people find it hard to list things they are grateful for when they are experiencing extreme conditions or extreme mental crises like depression. My question is regarding those cases, where people cannot find anything to be grateful for due to the massive sadness or extreme hardship before them. How should individuals in those cases go about beginning gratitude practices? Is starting small and building to larger pleasures beneficial to cultivating happiness? These are some of the things I would be interested in researching further.