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Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier | 
 enlarge | Author: Robert Emmons
Publisher: Mariner Books
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $8.25
You Save: $5.70 (41%)
New (33) Used (7) from $8.00
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 17015
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6
ISBN: 0547085737
Dewey Decimal Number: 158
EAN: 9780547085739
ASIN: 0547085737
Publication Date: November 6, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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Product Description
A scientifically groundbreaking, eloquent look at how we
benefit -- psychologically, physically, and interpersonally -- when
we practice gratitude
Did you know that there is a crucial component of happiness that is
often overlooked? In Thanks!, Robert Emmons draws on the first
major study of the subject of gratitude, of "wanting what we have," and
shows that a systematic cultivation of this underexamined emotion can
measurably change people's lives. Readers will discover how
• People who regularly practice grateful thinking can increase their
"set-point" for happiness by as much as 25 percent.
• Such increases can be sustained over a period of months, challenging
the previously held notion that our "set-point" is frozen at birth.
• Keeping a gratitude journal for as little as three weeks can result in
better sleep and more energy.
Emmons also reaches beyond science to bolster the case for gratitude
by weaving in the writings of philosophers, novelists, and theologians.
Thanks! inspires readers to embrace gratitude and all the benefits it can
bring into their lives.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier December 29, 2008
With the economic downturn, this book reminds us of all the people and things in our lives that we have already. Not a "quick read", better to read slowly and absorb the wisdom. I plan to start a Gratitude Journal and keep it nearby to add something each day.
 Thanks for a Great Book December 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Happiness books written for the popular read seem to fall into one of two general categories. They're either based on scientific evidence and give you research-tested techniques (such as Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World), OR, they give you advice and things to think about to help you "reframe" your thinking (such as The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living). While I can't say that one is better than the other, as they both have their attributes, I will say that I personally prefer the research-based books the best- like this one.
In this book, positive psychology researcher Robert Emmons, who is very well published I might add, will tell you all about the emotional disposition of gratitude- and how cultivating it in your life will not only make you happier, but just plain healthier all the way around!
So what exactly is gratitude anyway? While the defintion depends on who you ask, the book tells that it is helpful to think of it in terms of two stages: the acknowledgement of goodness, and the recognizing that the source of this goodness lies at least partially outside yourself. I never thought of it like that, but it makes all the sense in the world to me.
With that in hand, the book goes on to tell you exactly what gratitude has to do with happiness. As the book explains, there are three main things that determine your happiness: circumstances, genetics, and intentional activities. Cultivating gratitude fits into the happiness equation by being an intentional activity- one you can practice that has been shown to increase happiness levels. But does it REALLY work?
In a word, yes, and I can say this with certainty because the author himself has conducted randomized controlled trials that have proven this. (For those not in the know, the highest form of scientific proof that something actually works is the randomized controlled trial). And so, as you might have guessed, a good portion of the book is spent talking about his, as well as other's research, that will probably convince many, if not all readers, that cultivating gratitiude can not only make one happier, but healthier as well.
But while the book contains it's share of research, it very much leaves the reader with some practical tools by its end. Obstacles that get in the way of gratitude are discussed, as well as some very practical options to incorporate gratitude into your life, keeping a journal being just one example.
My final comment on this book is that if there were more like 'em, this world would truly be a better place. Here is a simple book that convincingly showed me that something as small and easy to do as being thankful, not only has the potential to change a person, but perhaps the rest of the world too. Thanks for a great book!
Excellent Read! December 6, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This little book was a big surprise. The book is a scientific study on gratitude and how it can impact your life. Included are religious and philosophic views. Am I grateful that I had the opportunity to read this book!
compelling and enjoyable account about the importance of gratitude October 1, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
In his latest book, "Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude can Make you Happier," Dr. Robert Emmons shares his expertise about the personal and interpersonal benefits of gratitude. While gratitude has a long history among philosophers and theologians, it was not until the turn of the 21st century that psychology finally began to give gratitude its deserved empirical homage. The individual largely responsible for the scientific advancement of gratitude is Dr. Emmons. In its simplest terms, gratitude is a positive response to a benefit. But its related outcomes reach well beyond those associated with being polite. Indeed, pioneering research conducted and reviewed by Dr. Emmons shows that gratitude improves emotional and physical health, as well as bolsters relationships and communities. "Thanks!" ends by providing readers with 10 practical strategies for becoming more grateful. Some strategies include keeping a gratitude journal, learning prayers of gratitude, and using visual reminders. Following the advice of Dr. Emmons, my screensaver now reads: "Life is a Gift--Thanks!" Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is tough. It is, according to Dr. Emmons, a "chosen attitude." We must be willing to recognize and acknowledge that we are the recipients of an unearned benefit. If we roll up our sleeves and commit ourselves to becoming grateful, we will see that with gratitude comes abundance. "Thanks!" is a highly readable, colorful, and downright fun book. Personal anecdotes and gratitude essays written by research participants bring to life Dr. Emmon's research program demonstrating the strong and enduring benefits of gratitude. So with patience and persistence, happiness, health, and stronger relationships await you. It just comes down to one simple, yet highly complex word--thanks!
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