Blessings of Gratitude

Page: 56-60
Sarita Mishra Kolhe (Commissioner of Income Tax, Department of Income Tax, Ministry of Finance, New Delhi)

Gratitude is the “parent of all virtues”. Humanities researchers have linked scrupulous and socially acceptable behaviour with gratitude. Gratitude like other constructive emotion develops and builds the character, conduct and personality of an individual. Gratitude is considered as an indicator of morality, manifestation of behaviour that promotes morality and a reinforcer of morality. Gratitude once generated and practiced becomes a long-lasting skillset in an individual’s repository for the expression of empathy, amity, kindness and affection. A handful of studies have highlighted that, organisations with workforce who experience positive emotions regularly, have more customer loyalty, less absenteeism, profitable sales and more gainful and rewarding financial outcomes. Recent works in Neurocardiology have found that while experiencing emotions such as frustration, angry outbursts or fear and apprehension, the heart rhythm becomes more irregular and chaotic indicating lower synchronism in the reciprocity between the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System. Whereas, experience of regular positive emotions were linked with ordered and cohesive display of rhythms in the heart, showing higher synchronicity amid the two divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System and a change in the equilibrium towards higher parasympathetic functions. By inculcating a condition of phsysiolgoical coherence, positive emotions like appreciation, love, gratitude etc. foster an inner setting within the individual which is favourable to both physical and emotional rejuvenation. Essentially, gratitude as a positive psychological concept has immense benefits and utility, which if learned and put to practice can significantly promote better relationships and effective adaptation to the environment.