Does it take almost $6 million to study the meaning of gratitude?

I suppose it’s not very grateful of me to suggest that this sum of money could be better spent on some more useful and practical research. And I don’t mean to be ungrateful to the foundation that doles out money for projects such as finding the meaning of love (which it did recently in another research project – see here), but really folks, is this the best you can come up with?

The research project in question is being run by the University of California Davis, thanks to the generosity of the John Templeton Foundation. The funding of $5.6 million is supposed to “advance the science of gratitude” and “promote evidence-based practices of gratitude in such settings as schools, workplaces, homes and communities, to better understand gratitude and its role in a civil society.”

Dare we say, thanks but no thanks? I’m sure the university and its researchers are very grateful. But, as for the rest of us isn’t there something more important to spend millions of dollars on?

Three Years Worth Of Gratitude

The researchers say the funding will help them “expand the scientific database of this key human virtue, particularly in the areas of health and happiness, social relationships and developmental psychology.”

The grant will support a three-year project, “Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude,” incorporating researchers from UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Hofstra University in New York, and California State University, Dominguez Hills. All these other universities are probably also very grateful to be getting a share of this pot of gold.

And this isn’t the first time the Templeton Foundation has doled out funds to study gratitude. The foundation previously supported a study that found people who kept daily gratitude journals exercised more regularly, complained of fewer illness symptoms and felt better about their lives overall compared with those who didn’t.

Gratitude Is A ‘Forgotten Factor?”

To further heighten the sense of importance of this research, the scientists suggest they are late to the study of gratitude and that gratitude is a “forgotten factor.” Hm-m-m. Did you all know that gratitude has been forgotten? When was the last time you said ‘thank you?’ Not so forgotten, is it?

When you were a child, didn’t your parents always tell you to ‘mind your Ps and Qs’? Seems as though that was as much research as was needed on the subject of gratitude. Certainly if someone offered me a few million dollars, I’d be grateful as well … very grateful. Perhaps the people at the Templeton Foundation could short circuit all the research and dole out their money directly to people like us. Wouldn’t you be grateful?

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Gratitude is the great multiplier.

”When you open your eyes in the morning, sit for a moment and appreciate the gift of a new day, create a peaceful thought and enjoy some moments of silence throughout the whole day.”

What you continually give to your body with your beliefs or strong feelings, you receive in your body. Every feeling you have saturates every cell and organ in your entire body.

When you give negative thoughts and feelings of what you don’t want , the force of health to your cells reduces !When you feel love for anything- for a sunny day,new house , friend,or promotion-your body receives the full force of health.

Gratitude is the great multiplier, so say thank you for your health every single day.

Say thank you with all your heart for what you do like about your body, and ignore the things you don’t like.

Your body will change into whatever you want, through your feelings of love and gratitude.

If you are facing illness, do your best not to own it with your thoughts and words.Instead , give love to health, own health, and make it yours.

Have you ever worked for the “boss from hell?” That’s the guy or gal who won’t be satisfied with anything you do, treats you like scum, and whom you hope dies an early and miserable death.

Well, a new study suggests that if you show that person a little gratitude – no matter how awful that sounds – you may be better able to survive in the workplace.

The researchers, from the University of Southern California, say that if powerful people were shown gratitude by their subordinates they would be less aggressive toward others.

So how does one know if being nice to a cruel boss might really work? The researchers conducted two experiments and concluded that people in power whose competence has been threatened are more likely to denigrate others while the powerful that are shown gratitude – even if it’s not deserved – feel self-affirmed and therefore more pleased. Somehow, according to the researchers, that makes them less likely to be aggressive in the future. Sounds good on paper, right?

Bad Boss – Good Boss

In the first experiment, the researchers told volunteers they were being divided into two-member teams and that their other “teammate” was in another room and able to communicate via written notes. They were next asked to write instructions for how to assemble an object clearly enough so someone else could assemble it. Then they were asked to review a draft of the instructions — ostensibly written by their partner, but really written by the researcher — and provide feedback.

The volunteers were randomly divided into “high power” and “low power” positions. The high power subjects were told that they were to offer feedback as well as “evaluate” their partner’s work (both of which would affect potential monetary rewards). The low power subjects were told that they were to analyze and provide feedback.

The subjects were given the notes from their supposed partner, which either contained no gratitude expression with the feedback, or the same feedback with the line “Thank you so much! I am really grateful.”

Will This Work?

After viewing the partner’s message, participants had the opportunity to denigrate their partner’s competence by rating the degree to which their partner seemed “competent, intelligent, capable, incompetent unskilled likely to succeed and likely to fail.”

The result? According to the study, “high-power participants whose competence was threatened denigrated their subordinates. This pattern disappeared when the subordinate expressed gratitude. Among low-power participants, there were no main effects of competence and gratitude expression, nor was there an interaction between competence and gratitude expression.”

In the second experiment, the researchers sought to assess “whether perceived social worth in the eyes of subordinates accounts for the ameliorating effects of gratitude expression on threatened power holders’ tendency to denigrate others.”

They asked their subjects to write a description of a picture so someone else could draw the picture from the description. Subjects were once again divided into “high” and “low” power roles. The people with power who felt incompetent denigrated their partner if they didn’t receive any gratitude.

The researchers concluded that when people have power they feel the need to meet demanding role expectations, and when they don’t feel competent they lash out with aggression toward others.

So should employees who want a better relationship with their bosses start demonstrating some appreciation? The researchers aren’t sure.

“As a long-term solution, we are not sure if this is going to be effective,” they say (so what was the purpose of the research?).

On the other hand it may be simpler to just brush off the old resume and move on.

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To become remembered and recognized in a manner that works best for us, we have to make people really feel appreciated. Properly a simple, useful and purely natural way to make people feel you enjoy them is just to say ‘thank you’ to them extra. When you start looking for how and where you can be more appreciative, much more appreciative for what C90-01A individuals do and are performing, not only for you but who are around you, you’ll discover loads much more opportunities to say ‘thank you’. ‘Thank you for the help’, ‘thanks for telling me that’, ‘thank you for letting me know’, ‘thank you for just getting around’, ‘thank you for considering me’.

Even though you don’t like what you’re getting told attempt saying “ah, thank you for letting me know” or “hmm, thank you for telling me that, ok now what about and so on.”. Thank you first. It means the very first thing you say is not damaging and crucially, it buys you a chance to determine what you do am getting at.

The two words – thank you – are defined within the dictionary as a polite expression used when acknowledging a present, service or compliment or when accepting or refusing an offer’. Saying ‘thank you’ for something that you do not want or don’t want to do is a really key piece in learning how you can say ‘no’ with out upsetting persons. Should you say ‘thanks for asking me and not today’ or ‘thanks for that offer’ before you decide to say ‘no’, you have already started to help the other person accept your refusal without having feeling rejected.

There is a terrific knock-on effect from saying ‘Thank You’ far more. It makes you are feeling far better as well. It’s that whole ‘attitude of gratitude’ and delay pills work. Easy.

By the way, I’m suggesting C90-02A  that you express gratitude extra – not that you don’t say it currently. Start to consider becoming grateful many, whenever you do, instead of just that noticing it, saying it a lot more. Quick.

A lot of people mutter privately ‘well, they’re just undertaking their job’ i.e. why must I say ‘thank you?’ or tell me ‘I am happy with how they did that’ and yet when I ask the individual ‘did you know them you happen to be pleased?’ they invariably the person was both carrying out the things they had been designed to or they simply assumed the individual knew they were pleased.

A customer told me not too long ago that, as a company, whenever a consumer phones her and says ‘thank you’ soon after she’s sorted items out for them, they quickly improve service from her next time they need her support. As she then mentioned ‘everyone loves to be appreciated, we’ve all got a lot going on’ so that as William Arthur Ward, the famous American poet mentioned ‘Feeling gratitude and never expressing it is just like wrapping something special and not giving it.’

One has to accept pain as a condition of existence.

One has to court doubt and darkness as the cost of knowing.

One needs a will stubborn in conflict, but apt always to the

total acceptance of every consequence of living and dying.

: o ) Morris West

Life is simple, it really is once you understand the dynamics of the choices we make.  The truth is we have trouble making choices that fit into that simplicity.

We think that there is a better way, we alter the path of success that others have gone before because we want to do it ‘Our Way’.  Not the way of ancient tales, or even of our parents who are not so ancient.  We want to blaze our own trail but yet complain about the results that we produce and have trouble accepting the consequences of doing it ‘Our Way’.

It is too laugh sometimes. LOL.

But in fact we learn to readjust and ponder over the decisions made, reflect, adjust, pray and meditate and correct our misfortunes.  We also need to take the time to speak the gratitude that we still have that opportunity to adjust and that the pain of misfortune is not permanent.

So yes the choice is always ours.

We can make the difference even in our own lives with a smile, some laughter even if the laughter is at ourselves.

That truly may be the best laughter.

Smiles to you this day : )

Video of the day

Spiritual Law of Acceptance?

Scripture of the Day 

“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (NIV)

Genesis 4 : 7

Have a blessed day everyone

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )

‘What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.’

: o ) C. S. Lewis

First off, all the credit for this post is given to my awesome friend on here Danielle P. thank you for sharing this quote and link if you click on this you will learn how small steps can become large accomplishments.  A great share for today : )

I also share with you a video that I found a few weeks back on You tube.

I share it with you here on the video of the day : )

Video of the day

Powerful Beyond Measure

If you can take the time, and make the time to watch this video daily lets say for a month you will fill the power of you come alive.

Just a thought

Scripture of the Day in Video Form

Jesus > Religion

Have a blessed day everyone

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )

“Awake, my soul, and with the sun / Thy daily stage of duty run;

/ Shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise, /

To pay thy morning sacrifice.”

: o ) Thomas Ken

Yes indeed, I could not post yesterday here, had a family matter to take care of and it happens right.

Trips to the hospital ER with my daughter, turns out everything is ok but you have to be careful, just leave it at that.  But if you can keep us in your prayers.  Life is never easy but there are many times when you just have to shake it off.

Oh wow, the theme of this post.

Shake it off!  Three words to practice today and everyday. You will have a wave or a wind come up on you and it just may slow you down. However if you truly can shake it off and move forward with care and patience.  Things will work out for the best.

What is the alternative to Shaking it off?

Dwelling in it?  Paying more attention to the pain instead of the promise.  Shake it off!

Time continues on, you can’t replay the old moment, shake it off and move on to the next.

Smiles and prayers sent to you this day. : )

Video of the day

Shake it off 

Scripture of they day 

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Matthew 10 : 14 ESV

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )

“It is not the critic who counts;

not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,

or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,

whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who

strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again;

because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;

but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the

great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a

worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph

of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least

he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be

with those cold and timid souls who

know neither victory nor defeat.”

: o ) Theodore Roosevelt

That is a long quote huh?   But how true.  We will stumble and come up short at times.  Not all the time mind you but life is a series of waves.  Sometimes your riding the wave other times the wave is crashing on in.  Why is that?

Well for one thing the world is full of cause and effect.  What we put out will always have an effect.  Just like what we don’t put out will have an effect or counter effect if we should have done something.  Did you catch that?

Listen to your spirit, if you feel like your supposed to do something and you ignore it well you will have an effect.  The cause was the lack of taking action.

Take time to listen to your energy.  Take time to respond to your calls to action. If it does not work, it does not mean just give up it means rework the plan and find another way.

Smiles to you this day!

Video of the day

Never Stop Taking Action

Scripture of the day 

James 2:18 

 (ESV)

 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )

We are born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the

eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws.

: o )Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

(Roman emperor)

Take the time to think on this quote.  Even our eyelids work better with our eyes, the blink and keep them moist, clean and enable us to see better.  Try talking with your jaw closed completely or open completely.

We are designed to work and built to cooperate in this world.

Teamwork.  If you watched any of the football this weekend no one worked alone to win or lose the games.  They worked together.

So why is there so many divorces?

Why do so many families break up and go in opposite directions?

How do we learn our roles when so many people tell us to redefine our roles.

Why do children take their lives at such a startling rate ?

Why don’t we take time out to really understand their challenges and their fears?

Questions that we need to understand the consequences of if we don’t start to address our current way of life.

We are built and designed to work together and not alone.

Last year gave me a lot of challenges.  Challenges I am still working through.  I pray everyday for wisdom and strength to be a better member of this world.  A better father, a better co worker, a better provider, a writer that will be more clear with our mission.

Oh yeah the mission of Make ME Smile Online click here : )

Launched in March of 2009 the words came freely when I wrote that mission statement.  Life was not a struggle for me at that time but maybe it was for many and maybe that was the purpose of this project.

To inspire, to educate to entertain and promote the simple power of the sincere smile.  To promote spoken gratitude and share in recording your life that is worth living in a journal.  To share a laugh or a quote that just may inspire you.  To find a song or a video that can make your day brighter, more enhanced and vivid.

Maybe a video like this one below.  Enjoy your day.  Share a smile. Make a difference, promote happiness and speak your gratitude.

Smiles to you this day and everyday : )

Video of the day (promoting the smile and uplifting a spirit for more information please go to www.urockroadtrip.com)

Sharing Smiles from URock

Scripture of the Day 

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” 

          Psalm 133:1

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )

It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of

our daily existence that

we can finally hear the whispers of truth that

life reveals to us, as it

stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.

: o ) K.T. Jong

Ten days into the new year, have you taken the time to reflect on those days. Maybe today is the day to do that.  Take a moment and just ask what have I discovered about myself this year that I have not realized from last year.

I mean we have 355 days to go till this year unwinds.

What have your discovered thus far?

What time have you spend taking the time to be still … and quiet … and maybe even reverent with the life you have lived this far this year.

Ok, stop right now and take that time.

The video of the day is for you … click play and for the next few minutes reflect on what you have discovered this year thus far.

Hit the play button or the link below:

What have you discovered Music to reflect upon 

Did you take the time …. did you ask what have I discovered about me this year?  May your day be blessed as always : )

Scripture of the day : 

1 John 3:18 

…. let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Make ME Smile Online

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www.makemesmileonline.com

We care ~ We share ~ We entertain ~ We educate about the simple sincere power of the smile.  Enjoy : )