Health

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Our sense of gratitude strongly drives our well-being.

This, according (even) to Wikipedia, which (in the equivalent of 260 feet of shelf space) philosophically shares only this one point with Dr. D.  There y'go amig-O.  If Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh ever do agree on anything, but do then agree on that one thing with gusto and party hats, I think I'll tune in to what that one thing turns out to be.  :- )

According to Wiki, a person with higher levels of gratitude / thankfulness / gratefulness is simply happier.  She is less stressed and less depressed than a "complainer."  Grateful people also have "higher levels of control of their environments."  They have more personal growth, are more open-minded, accept themselves as they are better, and have a sense of mission.

Thankful people are more positive in coping with problems - less likely to blame and deflect, more likely to seek support and tackle the problem with whole-heartedness and energy.  This is a recent discovery, folks.  Last century, psychology was Dr. D's college major and he can testify that it has only been in this century that psychologists (reluctantly) began probing this type of territory.  That is:  "POSITIVE" territory.  But now it is agreed:  "While many personality traits are important to well-being, gratitude may be uniquely important."

Speaking from a psych standpoint, in the last 30 years, America has been triangulating the question of how to be happier.

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Dr. Daniel Amen is at the cutting edge of brain scans conducted under directed thought and meditation.  He reduces his advice* to "the 60-second miracle":  each day, write down some things you are thankful for.  Then pick one or two and reflect back on it throughout the day.  Months later, our brains will scan as healthier.

This is some serious shtick :- )