The Power of Gratitude: How Focusing on the Good Changes Your Brain—and Your Life

Gratitude is more than a warm feeling. It’s a practice that changes how we relate to the world. It helps us anchor in what matters, especially when things feel chaotic. It builds purpose not just by making us feel better—but by giving us direction. When we notice what we value, we’re more likely to protect it. When we recognize who we’re grateful for, we show up more fully for them. Gratitude turns awareness into action.

by Alexandra Tanon-Olsson

Gratitude Isn’t Just a Feeling—There’s Real Science Behind It

Our thoughts have power. They guide how we feel, how we experience the world, and how we connect with others. What you focus on expands—and research on neuroplasticity shows that our thoughts actually reshape our brain. (Greater Good Science Center, 2023)

While many of us are chasing happiness in one form or another, studies show that being present and practicing gratitude changes your brain in more ways than you may think. Over time, this simple but powerful act of noticing and naming what you’re grateful for builds your capacity for joy, optimism, and resilience.

This week, I thought I was being present—I’m on vacation after all, walking along the beach. The sun was shining, the water was still, it was peaceful. And still, I was mentally somewhere else: rehearsing the past and worrying about the future. My body was in the moment, but my mind just wasn’t.

So I paused. Took a deep breath. And simply asked myself: What’s good right now?
There was a lot. The sunshine, the sea, my family. My three favorite things.

That pause gave me the opportunity to shift my thoughts into the now—to be fully present and experience the moment as it was. There was so much to be grateful for, and I might have missed it if I hadn’t stopped the motion in my mind.

Why Gratitude Works: 4 Gratitude Facts

There’s a growing body of research on gratitude—but behind every study is a deeper truth:
Gratitude helps us come home to ourselves.

It reminds us we’re part of something larger. That goodness exists, even when it’s quiet or fleeting. That beauty still lives in ordinary things.

In the middle of a noisy, demanding world, that reminder is powerful. Not because it’s sentimental—but because it’s grounding.

1. Gratitude Increases Happiness and Emotional Wellbeing

Journaling has long been used as a tool to process thoughts and emotions—getting your thoughts on paper can help a lot with reducing stress and improving mental clarity (Pennebaker & Beall, 1986). But have you tried gratitude journaling? This specific practice not only helps organize your thoughts but also shifts your focus toward positive experiences. Research shows that writing regularly about things you’re grateful for can increase happiness, improve sleep, and reduce symptoms of depression (Emmons & McCullough, 2003; Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

It’s a simple practice: Write down a few specific things you’re thankful for each day. Not vague ideas like “my health,” but details—“how calm I felt on my walk this morning,” or “the moment my son asked me to dance with him.” These small recognitions add up.

2. Gratitude Changes Your Brain

Practicing gratitude can literally rewire your brain. Neuroscientists at UCLA found that gratitude activates the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain associated with emotional regulation, decision-making, and empathy (Fox et al., 2015). Over time, these neural pathways become stronger, supporting resilience and positive emotion.

A study in NeuroImage showed that even months after a gratitude intervention, participants showed heightened neural sensitivity to gratitude, suggesting long-term brain change—not just short-term good feelings (Kini et al., 2016).

If you want to strengthen this part of your brain, start by noticing small joys. Say “thank you” and mean it. Keep a gratitude list by your bed. The more you practice, the more natural it becomes to focus on the good.

3. Gratitude Supports Physical Health

Gratitude doesn’t just change your mind—it helps your body heal.

Gratitude is linked to better sleep, lower blood pressure, improved immunity, and reduced inflammation. Its role in supporting wellbeing appears to include calming the body’s stress response, which can have real physical benefits over time (Wood, Froh, & Geraghty, 2010).

When we focus on gratitude, we soothe our stress response. We send the signal: “You’re safe. You’re supported.”

4. Gratitude Strengthens Relationships

Gratitude is relational and deepens our bonds.

When we express appreciation—not just for what someone does, but for who they are—we create space for connection.

In emotionally intelligent relationships, gratitude helps us shift from transaction to trust. It invites empathy, patience, and grace. Whether in a friendship, a family, or a workplace team, “thank you” can be the doorway to a deeper kind of belonging.

Gratitude and Emotional Integration

Let’s be honest—gratitude can sometimes feel like pressure. Like we’re supposed to stay positive even when things are hard.

But emotional intelligence isn’t about ignoring what’s real.

At Six Seconds, we define EQ as becoming more aware, more intentional, and more purposeful. That includes the full range of our emotions. Gratitude isn’t about skipping over pain—it’s about noticing what else is true alongside it.

It’s not a way to avoid grief or frustration. It’s not about covering up or moving on too quickly. Instead, it’s a way of staying connected—to what matters, to what’s still good, even in the midst of struggle.

Gratitude helps us hold more than one thing at a time. It lets us acknowledge the sadness and still feel the warmth of a kind word or a quiet moment. It allows space for both anger and awe, both sorrow and beauty.

This is emotional integration: making space for all of it. Gratitude doesn’t erase the hard parts—it simply reminds us they’re not the whole story.

Putting Yourself Where Gratitude Can Grow

Gratitude tends to grow where we feel steady—where there’s space to breathe, to feel, to be ourselves. But even when you’re in the midst of chaos, you can return to a sense of inner steadiness.

Gratitude brings calm and clarity—not because it fixes everything, but because it helps us anchor in what’s true and good right now. It’s not about escaping hard things; it’s about being honest with our emotions while also choosing what helps us come alive.

That could mean setting boundaries to make room for yourself. Or stepping outside into the sunlight for five minutes between meetings. Or putting your phone down and playing music while you cook. It’s about choosing yourself, and what matters most. These are small choices—but they shape your everyday.

And when you make a habit of noticing what’s already good, you’re more likely to put yourself in places where goodness keeps showing up.

A Practice of Noticing

One of the most powerful practices I’ve found is simple: Notice what’s good during the day, and write it down at night.

It’s not about being profound. It’s about being present.
The swirl of steam above your coffee.
A friend who checked in.
The quiet moment at the end of a long day.

This small ritual rewires your brain. Research shows that consistent gratitude practice increases activity in the emotion- and decision-making centers of the brain and lowers stress hormones.

It also deepens your sense of self-awareness and builds what we call emotional literacy—the ability to recognize and name your feelings with clarity <click here for recommended tools on how to enhance your emotional literacy>.

How to Start Practicing Gratitude: 3 Steps to Begin Today

Here’s how to start:

• Start with awareness (Know Yourself).

• Take small moments throughout your day—like during your morning coffee or an evening walk—and ask: What just made me feel grounded or connected?

• Set gentle reminders (Choose Yourself). Use your phone or sticky notes to prompt these moments, with questions like: What’s something I’m thankful for right now?

• End with reflection (Give Yourself). Before bed, jot down 2–3 moments you noticed. They don’t have to be big—just real.

Learn more about Know, Choose, Give and the Six Seconds Model of Emotional Intelligence here.

Gratitude as a Way of Living

Gratitude isn’t a shortcut. It’s not about fixing your life. It’s about learning how to live inside it—with your eyes open.

It brings you back to what matters.
It helps you hold complexity, choose intention, and act with clarity.
And the most surprising thing is you don’t need to change everything to feel more fulfilled. You just need to start noticing what’s already here.

So try it out. Start small and be specific. Let gratitude take root in your everyday moments.

Tonight, ask yourself:
“What did I notice today that I’m grateful for?”
Write down three moments. Do this for one week and see what shifts.
We’d love to hear from you—scroll down to share a moment with us.