Tag: gratitude

The Gratitude Filter: Do You Need Help with Your Daily Outlook?

Published on by Nikken

Are you sick and tired of people telling you that if you embrace gratitude, that is, if you feel thankful, everything in your life will improve? These people may well be paragons of toxic positivity. In essence, toxic positivity suppresses or denies the presence of negative emotions and promotes forced optimism. Unfortunately, when you force an attitude of gratitude, it is not real. However, staying stuck in negativity is neither healthy nor useful, so what can you do?

The Gratitude Filter is a daily practice designed to counteract the brain’s natural negativity bias (or “oxidation”) by intentionally focusing on positive, specific, and “sufficient” aspects of life. It acts as a mental shift from scarcity to abundance, altering perception, reducing stress, and strengthening, or “rewiring,” neural pathways for joy.1 “The goal is not to ignore struggles, but to build a mental foundation that allows you to face them from a place of strength rather than scarcity,” according to psychologist and author Michael Gervais.

If you’re not used to regularly practicing gratitude, one way is to begin with self-appreciation. Simply stand in front of a mirror each day and think of five good things you appreciate about yourself. These could be virtues, talents, past achievements, efforts you’re currently working on, or just general things you like about yourself. Give yourself some compliments. In addition to improving your mood and helping you embrace a positive world view, this regular practice can help you build self-esteem and self-confidence.2

Here is how to apply the Gratitude Filter to de-oxidize your daily outlook:3

•          Instead of letting the day dictate your mood, proactively set your tone before getting out of bed. Identify three specific things you are grateful for, say it out loud and be specific.

•          Throughout the day, turn a reflexive “thank you” into a meaningful moment. Actually, think about what you are saying thanks for—be it someone’s small kind gesture, receiving a service or responding to a positive email.

•          Pay attention throughout your day, and when something good happens, acknowledge it and memorize it so you can remember this positive occurrence. Then imagine if this good thing did not happen. That will make you appreciate it even more.

The human brain’s chemistry actually changes when practicing gratitude. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin (the feel good hormones) are released when practicing gratitude, resulting in reduced stress and “neuroplasticity,” which is the brain’s lifelong ability to reorganize, adapt and change its physical structure and pathways—allowing neurons to form new connections, strengthen existing ones and enhancing the ability to learn and recover from injuries.4 In a nutshell, a grateful mindset helps your brain function more efficiently, which in turn enhances a good mood.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS) acts as a filter for the information received and helps the brain register what matters most to you, what is relevant based on your personal values, needs interests and goals.5 Gratitude reinforces the RAS to pay attention to what you care about, so basically you start noticing more and more the things you are thankful for!

Use your gratitude filter and see if your daily outlook improves slowly but surely. Stay realistic, but acknowledge when gratitude may be positively affecting your mental and physical well-being. Your gratitude filter may become your empowerment filter!

1, 2 https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/does-gratitude-rewire-your-brain/

3 https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude

4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557811/

5 https://yourtimetogrow.com/gratitude-brain-changer/

Choose Gratitude to Write the Next Chapter of Your Story

Published on by Nikken

Approaching the end of the year is the ideal time to pause, reflect, and decide who you want to become next. As you step into a new chapter of your life, one of the main practices you can choose is gratitude.

Choosing gratitude is a vital aspect ofEmpowered Livingand Feeling Good Every Day. Empowered Living starts with the belief that you have the ability to make things happen and to write your own story. Gratitude reinforces that belief. When you consciously appreciate the positive aspects of your life, you’re much more likely to feel good every day—or at least most days!

Studies show that gratitude reduces stress, supports better sleep, enhances relationships, and contributes to overall emotional and physical wellness. When your mind feels lighter and your heart feels steadier, it becomes easier to take meaningful action. Gratitude creates an inner environment where you can thrive—where feeling centered, motivated, and hopeful becomes more natural.

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling. It’s a practice, a mindset, and a daily choice that can shape the way you experience your life. In other words, gratitude may shift your perspective from the bleak or negative to the bright and positive. Life is full of ups and downs, and gratitude allows you to focus on the ups while letting go of the downs. This conscious embrace of the positive does not mean ignoring the negative, but it prevents misfortunes from taking center stage.

When you take time each day to acknowledge your strengths, the people who care about you, small moments of beauty—you become grounded and develop clarity and resilience. Gratitude propels you forward with confidence and intention, to becoming a Human Being More.

Expressing gratitude strengthens relationships, deepens trust, and encourages kindness. When you acknowledge the people who support, inspire, or simply share part of your day, you create a ripple effect—your gratitude attracts others to be grateful for being connected to you. Each relationship that is forged in gratitude stands to last the longest.

Whether you have new goals or simply want to continue working on existing ones, taking small steps consistently every day will bring results. Gratitude is a great partner with patience and hope. As you head towards 2026, write your next chapter with gratitude and intention. Honor yourself and all that you have been through, regardless of whether it’s in service of others or simply surviving the unexpected ordeals in life.

You have the power to choose where you’re going and who you become.

All of us at Nikken wish you a beautiful season filled with love, joy and gratitude.

How Do You Show Gratitude?

Published on by Nikken

Cultural differences account for the many ways in how people show gratitude. Professor Jonathan Tudge of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is considered an expert on the subject. He and his colleagues have published a series of studies showing how children develop a sense of gratitude in seven culturally diverse countries.

The children were aged seven to 14 and answered in three categories of gratitude: verbal  which is spoken, concrete which offers a token gift, and connective which is relational. Children in China and South Korean tended to favor connective gratitude. Those in the U.S. leaned toward concrete gratitude, and Guatemalan kids were partial to verbal gratitude.1 According to Professor Tudge, connective gratitude which cultivates the development of a relationship, goes beyond words or gifts of thanks. He calls it the most authentic form of gratitude.

Cultural values, parenting practices and education may each play a role. Autonomous (individualist) cultures such as that of North America, teach children to be more independent and self-directed. Heteronomous (collectivist) cultures such as that of Asia teach duty and obedience to elders as well as honoring others. This could account for why Americans tend toward verbal and concrete gratitude while Asians focus on connectivity and developing relationships rather than valuing individuality and separateness. Giving and receiving help is an expected part of daily life for members of collectivist cultures rather than an uplifting surprise for those from individualist cultures.2

Who you choose to show gratitude to also may depend on cultural influences. For example, Southeast Indians were more likely to show appreciation to people outside of their families—the type of people they might feel obligated to repay. This sense of indebtedness is found much less in autonomous cultures. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Inuit do not require an expression of gratitude after receiving meat from a hunt.

According to Professor Tudge, gratitude is ultimately a skill that strengthens relationships and arises when we pay more attention to the gifts our connections bring us. He says that means thinking about gratitude less like a good feeling to boost happiness and more like paying it forward with kindness, making it a way of life and being a good human being.3

During this season of Thanksgiving, consider who you want to connect with more deeply. And if you want to show concrete gratitude, Nikken invites you to take a look at the 2023 Gift Guide with special offers that extend through the end of the year.

1,2, 3 https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_cultural_differences_shape_your_gratitude