The Science of Gratitude

The holidays are upon us and it feels like the perfect time to talk about gratitude. Watch this week’s vlog to hear my thoughts about it.

Comments

  1. MoriinJob

    Добрый день. Спасибо познавательную статью. Всё нужное.
    С уважением Некрасов Иннокентий
    Гаврилович https://vk.com/ayurveda.kazan

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  2. Jenna C Reed Livingston

    I suffer from a constant negative perception of the world and the things around me. This vlog helped me remember that our brains can change and adapt to a happier, more fulfilled state by simply taking the time to write down what (and who) we’re grateful for each day. While I’m skeptical that this will truly work in the long run I’m willing to give it a try. I’ve tried it in the past but lost the willpower to keep it going for more than a few days. No wonder it didn’t do much to change the shape of my outlook on life! Gotta stick with it.

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  3. Carolyn Lahey

    Susan
    I just saw this Vlog today. I was reading the comments. One of them was in color. I could not believe the name. It is about 18 names above. mine. I think this could be an old childhood friend/ High school from Olathe Kansas . Debbie Mc Elhaney. It made my day. If this is her and she see’s it. It would be great. This is what I’m grateful for today.

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  4. Tahnee Truitt

    I love your vlog Susan. You make me want to be a better person. I wish I could take take your college courses!! I signed up for self starter BLE plan to start Dec. 1st. So thankful for the work you are doing to help people become happy, thin & free. God Bless You

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  5. Francis O' Toole

    Thank you for your insights into gratitude

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  6. Kimberly Marr

    Good morning. I have practiced an Attitiude of Gratitude for 4 years. I do five things I am grateful for. You are right at times you need a break from the journal list idea. Thank you for the other suggestions and the letter idea. This is the first video blog of yours that I have watched. Great discussion on gratitude, I learned a lot. I definitely will be back and will recommend it to others. You will be on my list tonight. God bless.

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  7. Linda Djupstrom

    Two years ago, before I knew I was going to face challenges including a mom developing Alzheimer’s and my cancer I read about doing a year of photo gratitude. You take a picture of something you are grateful for that day. Could be the sun shining on a February day, a flower, the smile on your mother’s face…anything and then you print the picture and write in long hand about this picture – this is done in a scrap book format. It was transforming! I found myself in the beginning thinking I would never be able to do this for an entire year. But as I went the gratitudes got more profound more and more meaningful and by the end of December I was sad the project was ending. It has made me more grateful than I knew I could be….grateful for the littlest of things. You are right on…beautiful experience for sure.

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  8. Lo

    I will do the gratitude letter with many people that I have never been able to thank. One of these persons has passed so this will be a prayer letter also. Thank you for sharing!

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  9. Riad Ghanma

    thank you

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  10. Stefi

    Happy Thanksgiving Susan & also to your family – love all you do.Love this vlog!! You are a lovely person??

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  11. Tui

    To Susan and all the commenters, thank you! As I watched the video and read to comments I felt a spark of warmth inside. I feel blessed ! Blessings to all on their journeys

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  12. Barb Bridges

    Thank you for this powerful vlog! Happy thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  13. Diane Oriander

    This vlog I love, especially the letter of gratitude thank you so much, happy thanksgiving to you and yours

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  14. vicky machlis

    Please add my name in your e-mail your talk very inspirational . Thank you and have a happy Thanksgiving, and to your family.

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  15. vicky machlis

    Like to get this e-mail on regular time. thanks.

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  16. Emily Kooris

    Heartfelt and very inspirational !
    Thank you !

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  17. Deb

    I will write the letter. My mother is a widow of 6 months and I realized that I have never told her in a letter how grateful I am to all she taught me and how she loved me. I will visit her in January and I will read her the letter I will co pose for her these next few weeks. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is exactly what she and I need. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  18. Joann

    Thank you for sharing your knowledge and practical ideas. This one is powerful !

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  19. Carol

    As I sit here and look out over the frosty lawn and the bright blue sky I am filled with gratitude. This was a really inspirational blog Susan and thank you for sharing the exercises. I especially love the ” gratitude visit” and really would love to put this into practice with all this people who have impacted my life. Happy thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  20. Malathie

    I write my gratitude journal for the last four years. My life is dramatically changed:) I wish you’ll explain a little more about the difference between thankfulness and gratitude. Thank you Susan. Wish you happiness health and wealth!

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  21. Victoria

    That idea of letter writing is so beneficial. I am going to do that! Relationships must be refreshed and cultivated. What better way than to use a suggestion such as this to mend, heal and strengthen a new or exsisting connection with those around us. You are definitely making a difference towards a society that is threatening to fall apart at the seams!! Thank you! Have a good Thanksgiving too.

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  22. Debra McElhaney

    For years i have used saying 100 things i am grateful for out loud as a way to fall asleep……..sweet dreams

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  23. Lynda Hahn

    This VLOG really warmed my heart. I will write a letter to my mum, who passed away suddenly, not long ago and I never really felt I told enough how much she meant to me. I will put a big framed picture of her across the table, and just act like she is there.
    I’d better make sure I’m alone, as others may think I’m going a little crazy! LOL
    Thanks so much SPT. Love you.

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  24. Marianne

    This is so hopeful and i will begin tonight and then again in the morning.
    Thank you so much Susan. Happy Thanksgivng to you and your family

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  25. Cat McLean

    Thank-you Susan. You really turned my day around with this message.

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  26. Richard Torresan

    You know I like you attitude and I trust you for more raisons .Iwill try to writes my three good think all day .xx

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  27. Barb vanWingerden

    Enjoying your blogs.In regards to preparing for Thanksgiving dinner I understand that those who are addicted to food ,like alcoholics they have to remove the temptations of food. But I pride myself in being able to eat samples of everything for dinner. The 3 oz of turkey1/4-1/2 cup of of the veggies,potatoes (no gravey) and dressing.and for dessert 1/8 slice of pumpkin pie. This works for me because if I completely deprive myself,then I get depressed and have in the past ate more. I cannot relate to those who say that if they eat some ice cream,chips cookies they eat the whole bag or box or carton. For some this may be a terrible thing to cope with. But I found the Thanksgiving blog a little depressing ,stating things that you cannot do. .Am I wrong in feeling this way about depriving yourself?

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  28. Susan clow

    Great video and yes gratitude is an important to have gratitude. Thanks you much.

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  29. Agathe van Iterson

    Thank you so much, Susan! Love your gratitude vlog and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! We don’t have Thanksgiving in France but you’ve given me ideas how to celebrate it all the same.

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  30. Cristina

    I appreciate your advice Susan, particularly because in my house the tendency is to see the glass half empty. I am thankful for being able to receive your advice in your daily vlogs!

    On a different topic, I would like to know whether in the Bright Line Eating (which is almost all vegetarian?) one is allowed to consume dairy products.
    My doctor has always advice me to consume dairy products because they add calcium to my diet. So I eat yogurt, cheese, and milk (Fairlife 2% ). She has also advice me to take supplemental calcium and I take a daily pill of 600mg. However, I recently heard in the news the findings of a research that indicate that supplemental calcium may be detrimental to your heart and that concerns me. So, what am I to do? If I consume dairy products, they may add calcium to my diet, but they also tend to make me fat and increase my cholesterol level. In sum, if I stop eating dairy products and taking supplemental calcium, where am I going to get the calcium I need …??
    I would be very interested in hearing your comments on this topic in one of your daily vlogs.

    Thank you, and my you have a very blessed Thanksgiving! Cristina

    May you have a very blessed Thanksgiving. Cristina

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    1. Jarka

      Hi Cristina,
      thanks to Susan (and summits she’s been a part of) I’ve discovered all these other great doctors and their books&articles in the last year. I’ve learned that dairy is not meant for human consumption. It causes in us much more damage than any positives. All the good stuff from dairy (mainly calcium), you can get from vegetables (leafy green vegetables, broccoli, kale…) & beans. That’s how cows get their calcium and pass it on to us. (Unfortunately with all the hormones not meant for us – it’s for their baby calves.) Check out google for calcium sources for vegans.
      Definitely stop taking calcium supplement. It’s too much, too artificial, and a body can’t absorb it (my mum just stopped taking hers after years, as the extra calcium wasn’t going to her bones, but arteries!).
      Hope this helps.

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  31. Bill

    Susan I wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving. This is possibly the best vlog that you have produced to date. What a message! Thank you!

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  32. Evanthia

    I thank the LORD for the beautiful person that YOU are. You move me deeply. If I could only shake your blessed hand. With gratitude, Evanthia.

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  33. Linda

    Thank you for your inspiring thoughts and I wish for you the deepest wellbeing for this Thankgiving.

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  34. Margaret

    Hope you had a joyful thanksgiving. Thank you for this video, it does move gratitude practice to another level.. I find that when I catch myself judging another person, in my mind, if I then move to finding at least three things I am grateful for in that person for being in my life, it changes it dramatically. Always makes me smile too, another practice of gratitude

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    1. Bill

      What a wonderful and practical suggestion Margaret! Thank you!

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  35. Alina

    Thank you so much I love listening to you on your blog and I am grateful to you for being here for all of us. happy Thanksgiving and keep up the good work.

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  36. Alena

    Thank you for this video!

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  37. Julia Carol

    Susan, Susan, Susan… you never cease to amaze and delight me. I shall do these things… have done some for years already… I’m lucky to have been born a naturally grateful person.

    I’m so blessed and grateful that I get to shower my gratitude for you ON you as often, or nearly as often, as I want to. I’m glad you are willing to accept gratitude, because I’m going to just HAVE to shower you with my gratitude and deep appreciation for the rest of my life.

    Why? Because I had so many pieces of the life puzzle I needed for my own physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health before BLE, but I didn’t have quite enough.

    You freed me from decades of being trapped in an obese body and from a future which probably included one or more of these: diabetes, heart attack, stroke, early death.

    You helped me save my life. That’s no small feat. And Bright Line Eating is helping so many others save their lives… and the ripple effect is saving families and communities.

    I love you. And I’m grateful to you forever more.

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  38. MARIA PICCOLO

    What if such person is dead?
    Can this be usefull, to write a letter for dead people?

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    1. Julia Carol

      I imagine it’s useful… I’d write the letter and then picture them sitting across from you and read it out loud to them… just my thoughts.

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    2. Bill

      Maria, great question. One that I had myself since many of the most influential figures in my life are no longer with us. I believe that Julia Carol’s suggestion is the ‘way to go.’ This is the solution that I was thinking about while listening to Susan.

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    3. Pip Cody

      Yes, Maria, I’ve written gratitude letters to people who have died, or who I can no longer contact for other reasons. It is still powerful, although perhaps in a slightly different way.

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    4. Lara Willingham

      I write letters to my dead son all the time. It just feels good to tell him all the things I didn’t say while he was alive.

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    5. Tom

      I would add, since you can’t give them the letter in person, find a way to give it to them–or to the Universe–in spirit. Place a copy on their grave. Mail the letter–stamp and all–to them, addressed to Heaven. Give the letter to a close family member who also knew and loved the person. Put the letter in a Time Capsule, for posterity and/or for your family of the future (think Family History documents that your grandkids or other descendents might appreciate in time). Give the letter to the person’s spouse, child, grand child, etc. Use your creativity to determine who would be moved by the letter and give it to them.

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  39. rachel oliver

    Thank you so much for this blog, Susan. I’ve been dealing with a lot of sludge in my life lately but still have so much to be grateful for. Thanks for reminding me. I’ll refer to it often in the coming days. Holidays have always been difficult for me because all of my family are far away.

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  40. Sergio and Graça

    Excellent !

    תודה רבה ! (Thank you !)

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  41. MICHAEL CORRELL-MALLAL

    Yes some good ideas there.

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  42. Judith Lansky

    I’ve been teaching and practicing gratitude for many years. You definitely took i t up a notch or two. Thanks.

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  43. Jennifer Emrich

    Oh… forgot to add….adorable Thanksgiving sweater. Love it! 🙂

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  44. Jennifer Emrich

    Thank you Susan. I am going to bookmark today’s blog. I love all of these ideas about how to bring more feelings of gratitude into your life. I really want to try the gratitude letter that you present in person. So powerful! Thanks for all that you do to help so many people. I am very grateful that I am connected to you through BLE. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving together. xoxo

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  45. Valery Howard

    Thank you Susan. Again! ? Hope your thoughts to us continue forever!

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  46. Maria Benning

    Great ideas. I was wondering how to keep my three a day list from getting repetitive and stale. You rock…oh yes you do!

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  47. Connie

    Thank you Susan and Happy Thanksgiving to you!

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  48. Ronna Berezin

    This is not only a helpful blog , but one whose topic and advice are unique. Thx so much, Susan.

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