An Experiment in Gratitude

Have you ever wondered what makes you happy? Does your happiness come from money, having fun with friends, tasty food, being in love, or something else totally different?

Julian Huguet, host of SoulPancake, explores this question by showcasing an awesome experiment in gratitude as part of their “Science of Happiness” series. Julian gathered a number of participants and tested their current level of happiness before conducting the experiment.

Each test subject was asked to write about the most influential person in each of their lives and explain why they were so important to them. What they did not know while writing was that they would be asked to call that person and read what they wrote about them after they finished.

After making the call they were asked to take another test to gauge their current level of happiness again. Participants who wrote something down, but weren’t able to make the call saw a happiness increase between 2% and 4%. Those who were able to make the call saw an increase of happiness between 4% and 19%.

The person who experienced the biggest jump in happiness was the least happy person when they walked in the door for this experiment. This proves that the worse you may be feeling, the more impactful this practice of showing gratitude may be for you.

So whether you express your gratitude through writing or by actually calling the person who inspired you, either way it will make you a happier person.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving tomorrow, give this a try for yourself and see how it makes you feel!