17. What’s so Special about
Gratitude?
• Affirmation of life itself
• Turns our focus from the negative to the
positive
• Opportunity for reframing – new lens on
life
• Connects us to something greater than
ourselves
• Cultivates a sense of wonder and awe
18.
19. How can Gratitude Transform?
• Our Personal lives
• Our Marriages/Relationships
• Our Children
• Our Organizations
• Our Communities/Cities?
20. Personal Happiness & Health
8-year study (Emmons- UCDavis) - Regular
gratitude practice results in:
• Progress toward important personal goals
• Higher alertness, enthusiasm,
determination, attentiveness and energy
• Better health, sleep duration and sleep
quality
• Greater energy, optimism and positive
moods
• Greater sense of feeling connected to
others
21. The moment you shift from a mindstate of
negativity or judgment to one of appreciation:
• Brain function becomes more balanced,
harmonized, and supple;
• Your heart begins to pump in a much more
coherent and harmonious rhythm;
• And biochemical changes trigger a host of
healthful responses throughout your body.
(J & M Levy)
23. The 5:1 Ratio
Gottman Institute:
• #1 Predictor of success in marriages:
– 5:1 or greater ratio of positive to negative
encounters
– The solution? Gottman suggests practicing
gratitude in marriage, with at least 5
expressions of gratitude or appreciation for
every 1 negative interaction
27. Why DON’T we practice gratitude?
• Deceptively simple
• Afraid of putting ourselves out there -
being vulnerable?
• Assumption – people already know, taking
for granted
• Old world values of greed, competition,
selfishness, stinginess
28. The Keys to a Gratitude
Transformation
1. COMMIT – just do it!
2. Look for what’s true
3. What you appreciate appreciates
4. Do it TOGETHER
5. Give thanks for what is to come–
as if it’s already done!
29. Why Gratitude & City 2.0?
– Gratitude is the fertilizer for creating resilient,
regenerative communities & cultures
– What’s missing in cities – sense of
community- sense that you know each other –
core vehicle in creating a sense of
community/common unity – gratitude, love,
appreciation – unifying force as much as
judgment is a fragmenting force
– Creating a field of love & appreciation, in
which we are nurtured by what we appreciate
in each other
