Commit to be Fit: How thankfulness rewires the brain, renews the heart

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

Daniel Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of seven books, shares the neuroscience behind gratitude and its ability to rewire the brain.

Pink shares Hebb’s Law that states that neurons that fire together, wire together. So, every time you speak or type, you’re training your brain for abundance or lack.

Research confirms that gratitude and optimism strengthen the prefrontal cortex. That’s the part of your brain responsible for focus, decision-making and emotional regulation. Being grateful strengthens your problem-solving center.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you are negative and complain often, you are training your brain to see more problems — while missing solutions.

The health benefits of gratitude

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but gratitude isn’t just for the Thanksgiving table. Practicing gratitude is one of the healthiest habits we can cultivate all year long. Studies show that regularly practicing gratitude has the ability to lower stress hormones, improve sleep, strengthen relationships and even boost heart health.

But gratitude isn’t just a feeling; it’s an attitude we can develop. When we practice gratitude, it changes our brain chemistry, rewires our perspective and ripples out to impact the people around us in a positive way.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to practice gratitude.

Slow down and notice

We often bustle through life and miss the simple blessings right in front of us. For example, grocery shopping can feel like a chore, but when I look around at the abundance of food, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. Even doing laundry for my family of six can become a gratitude meditation: “Thank you, God, for allowing me to wash my children’s clothes. Thank you that we have the means to buy new clothes as they grow.”

Turning everyday routines into moments of appreciation transforms the mundane into the meaningful.

Hank and Maddy Alger place what they are grateful for on their family's gratitude tree. (Kylie Alger/for The Gazette)

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Hank and Maddy Alger place what they are grateful for on their family's gratitude tree. (Kylie Alger/for The Gazette)

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Keep a simple gratitude journal

Each night, jot down three things you’re grateful for. Extra challenge: try to make them specific and don’t repeat. Instead of “family,” write “the laughter at dinner tonight.” Instead of “health,” maybe “strong legs during my walk today.” Research shows that these kinds of details matter: it trains the brain to look for more good, even on hard days.

Create a gratitude tree

Our family loves this November tradition. Each evening, we write something we’re thankful for on paper leaves and hang them on our gratitude tree. Some nights it’s big (our health), and some nights it’s small (hot cocoa or playing football), but every leaf reminds us that joy grows when we name it.

Write a gratitude letter

This year, I discovered one of the most powerful gratitude practices of all: writing a gratitude letter! Choose someone who has touched your life and write them a heartfelt note of appreciation. It might be a teacher, a friend, a family member or even someone from your past.

Research from the University of California, Berkeley found that writing a gratitude letter boosts happiness and well-being — how wonderful to boost your happiness and someone else’s at the same time. Even if the person who you want to thank isn’t living anymore, you will still receive the powerful benefits of writing what you are grateful for, as the act of writing helps us savor good memories and strengthens the neural pathways that make us more resilient and optimistic.

Why it matters

Practicing gratitude can truly be life-changing. While it doesn’t erase life’s challenges, it can soften hard times. When we make thankfulness a habit, we remind our hearts that goodness is present, even in the ordinary. And the more we look for things to appreciate, the more we’ll find.

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Kylie Alger is a certified wellness coach and co-owner of the Well-Woman: Body, Mind & Spirit. Comments: kylie@thewellwoman.org.