In interviewing individuals who score high on happiness scales, Dr. Laurie Santos, Cognitive Scientist and Professor of Psychology at Yale, observes happy people are spontaneously grateful. If you ask a happy person how their day is going, they list the good things. The great news is…. you can actually hack this yourself through reframing! Being intentional about noticing and naming the positive aspects of your day is a great way to start. Gratitude allows us to pay attention and shift our reference points toward appreciation of what we have. It can minimize negative social comparisons and allow one to refocus on what they have (instead of what they lack)!

According to Dr. Santos, one way gratitude can boost happiness is through increased self-regulation, the ability to understand and manage your behavior, and your reactions to feelings and things happening around you. Self-regulation can show up as resisting temptations. Psychologists theorize that it is easier to self-sacrifice (forego temptations) when one is grateful for the things they already have. If you remember your blessings more easily, you might not feel the need to reach for another temptation to fill up your cup. Those who are ungrateful are often super-focused on the stuff they don’t have and they are less likely to want to share with others.

Positive psychology researchers describe how humans become insensitive to new stimuli, and quickly readjust to an emotional baseline. They call this phenomenon the “hedonic treadmill.” For example, when you buy a new phone, it might feel exciting for the first few weeks, but then you just get used to it. Research has shown that acts of kindness to others do not have the same features and do not result in diminished returns. Individuals who share with others often build meaningful social connections which can boost and maintain one’s positive mood.