{"id":22940,"date":"2026-03-11T13:54:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:54:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/uncategorized\/what-is-the-difference-between-gratitude-and-thankfulness\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T06:15:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T06:15:17","slug":"what-is-the-difference-between-gratitude-and-thankfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpbookstore.org\/articles\/positive-living\/what-is-the-difference-between-gratitude-and-thankfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"Gratitude vs Thankfulness: The Big Difference"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve likely heard the aphorism to \u201chave an attitude of gratitude.\u201d I recently learned that within the field of positive psychology, that\u2019s exactly what gratitude is\u2014an attitude, an overall mentality and mindset that prioritizes appreciation for the gifts and opportunities life offers. Stepping into a season of thanksgiving (both with and without a capital \u201cT\u201d), when we want to be more grateful<\/a>, makes this learning all the more helpful. Because there is a difference between gratitude and thankfulness.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\"Woman
\n\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is the Difference Between Gratitude and Thankfulness?<\/h3>\n

The difference between these two important emotions comes down to how we use it in our lives. Gratitude is a general appreciation of life, while thankfulness is a response to a particular event or experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, you can be grateful<\/em> for your family, but thankful<\/em> that your cousin showed up early to help you set the holiday table. You can be grateful<\/em> for the community where you live, but you are thankful<\/em> that your neighbor brought your garbage cans up from the curb on a rainy day.<\/p>\n

\n

To cultivate a fully, authentically positive mindset, we must practice both gratitude and thankfulness.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You know as well as I do that life is not always easy. To cultivate a fully, authentically positive mindset, we must practice both gratitude and thankfulness. Practicing gratitude means accepting things as they are, while also holding onto our appreciation of things that we value and have access to. Thankfulness grows out of this mindset, positioning us to be able to notice and express thanks when things do go right, like saying “thank you” or even writing a thank you note<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tennessee psychiatrists James and JR Greene explain the broad power of gratitude this way: \u201cYou do not need something good to happen to have gratitude, and when bad things happen, your gratitude does not falter. You know that sad things are just a part of life, and you are happy with the life you lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

So ask yourself whether your thankfulness lives under an umbrella of gratitude\u2014and whether your gratitude gets spoken aloud through words of thankfulness. When you pair these two layers of appreciation, you will be building a spirit of authentic positivity that shines over everything you do.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\"Woman
\n\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3 New Ways to Think About Gratitude<\/h3>\n

It might be a challenge to think of things you\u2019re grateful for, but scientific research supports what grateful people<\/a> know\u2014that taking the time to look inward and express gratitude makes us happier and less stressed.<\/p>\n

A gratitude practice is actually simple to start. It could be\u00a0keeping a blank journal\u00a0where you record a single item each day you are grateful for\u2014something as big as a promotion at work, or as small as the sudden sunshine of a spring afternoon. If the written journal is too much, you can make gratitude the last \u201ctask\u201d you do before you go to sleep at night,\u00a0just a little passing thought\u00a0that can rest for a moment on something that enriches your life.<\/p>\n

Even during trying times, I\u2019m eager to grow my gratitude habit<\/a>, and that means coming at it from new angles. A consistent goal as I walk my positive path is to be more mindful of the joy and goodness that is all around me, if only I would notice it. Questions that prompt me to look in unexpected places for sources of gratitude are a helpful part of that process.<\/p>\n

See if these three prompts might bring a new breadth and depth to your gratitude experience:<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\"Husband
\n\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. Change Your Gratitude Perspective<\/h4>\n

Choose someone in your life (a family member, friend, neighbor, colleague or the even the person who delivers your packages) and ask, \u201cWhat would this person say they are grateful for in me?\u201d Perhaps you are a support, or you made that person laugh recently, or you always return emails in a timely fashion or greet them in a friendly way. Cultivate gratitude<\/a> by looking to others.\u00a0See yourself through someone else\u2019s grateful eyes.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\"Woman
\n\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Feel Gratitude for Your Body<\/h4>\n

Think about your body, and find a part of yourself to be grateful for. It could be your legs that carry you through your day, your hands that create and communicate and soothe and love, or it could be the brain you use to learn and share. We all have reasons to be thankful<\/a> and feel the positivity of gratitude for our bodies.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\"Woman
\n\t\t\t<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3. Feel Gratitude for Small Things<\/h4>\n

Look around your home and think about the item in it that no one else would likely notice, but that brings you the most joy. Maybe the tiny grater you use to zest a lemon, a vase that you pull out when you bring home flowers, the taste of your favorite toothpaste, or the paper clips you keep in an orderly little corner of your desk. The smaller, the better\u2014while you\u2019re looking, I\u2019m guessing you\u2019ll come across a lot of items that are deserving of your gratitude.<\/p>\n

READ MORE ABOUT GRATITUDE AND THANKFULNESS:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n