Giving Thanks: Why Expressing Gratitude Matters More Than Ever

We talk a lot about gratitude as an emotion — that warm glow we feel when something good happens, or when someone shows us kindness. But in a world moving as fast as ours, gratitude isn’t something we can afford to keep silent or internal.
This is where giving thanks becomes a powerful practice in its own right.

Giving thanks isn’t just feeling grateful.
It’s acting on gratitude.
Voicing it. Expressing it. Sharing it.

And that changes everything — for you and for those around you.

Gratitude vs. Giving Thanks: Why the Difference Matters

Gratitude is a feeling — an internal awareness of appreciation.
Giving thanks is a behavior—an outward expression of appreciation.

Gratitude says: “I feel grateful.”
Giving thanks says: “I want you to know you matter.”

Gratitude happens inside us.
Giving thanks happens between us.

And it’s in that space between — in the expression — that connection deepens, relationships strengthen, and well-being grows.

Research even shows we dramatically underestimate how much our thank-yous mean to others.
The recipients feel more moved, more valued, and more connected than we ever imagined.

Which means, your gratitude isn’t complete until it’s shared.

The Action of Gratitude: Why Expression Changes Everything

Gratitude becomes transformative when we act on it.

Writing a note.
Saying the words.
Sending the message.
Making the call.
Pausing long enough to acknowledge someone’s impact.

When we turn the feeling into an action, two things happen:

✔️ We deepen our own experience of gratitude

Acting on gratitude increases our positive emotion and extends its duration — a phenomenon known as “savoring.”

✔️ We lift others up

Gratitude expressed boosts the receiver’s sense of belonging, social worth, and happiness.

It strengthens trust.
It creates emotional resonance.
It sparks generosity.

In other words, giving thanks creates a ripple, not just a moment.

The Platinum Rule: Giving Thanks the Way Others Receive It Best

You know the Golden Rule — treat others the way you want to be treated.

But when it comes to expressing gratitude, the Platinum Rule is far more powerful:

Treat others the way they want to be treated.

For gratitude, this means asking:

“How does this person best receive appreciation?”

Some people want:

• a written note
• private acknowledgment
• words of affirmation
• a public shout-out
• a meaningful gift
• time spent together

The act of giving thanks becomes most meaningful when it’s done in their language — not ours.

This is giving thanks with intention, with empathy, and with awareness.

Advanced Gratitude vs. Higher-Order Gratitude

These two concepts deepen our understanding even further — and they’re not the same.

Advanced Gratitude

Advanced gratitude is the ability to thank beyond the easy stuff. It’s gratefulness that includes hardship, disappointment, or difficulty — not because pain is enjoyable, but because we’ve processed it through a grateful lens.

It’s the essence of FLIP IT™:

• Feel what’s real
• Listen for the lesson
• Intervene with new perspective
• Promote the positive

Advanced gratitude allows us to find purpose inside the struggle.

Higher-Order Gratitude

Higher-order gratitude expands even further. It’s not just gratitude for events or outcomes — it’s gratitude woven with meaning, presence, and awe.

It includes:

• cherishing blessings we often overlook
• appreciating the present moment
• thanking beyond people — nature, life, breath
• recognizing the quiet wonder around us

Where advanced gratitude focuses on transformation, higher-order gratitude focuses on meaning.

Both deepen our lives.
Both elevate the act of giving thanks.

The Benefits of Acting on Gratitude

Research consistently shows that expressed gratitude — not just felt — offers powerful benefits:

✔️ Stronger relationships

People who feel appreciated feel more connected, valued, and willing to reciprocate kindness.

✔️ Greater happiness

Giving thanks boosts positive emotion and enhances well-being.

✔️ Reduced stress

Expressing gratitude shifts the nervous system toward calm.

✔️ Improved communication & trust

Thank-yous create psychological safety, warmth, and openness.

✔️ Increased resilience

Advanced and higher-order gratitude help us find meaning even in difficulty, strengthening our emotional capacity.

✔️ A ripple effect of kindness

When someone receives gratitude, they’re more likely to pay it forward.

In short, gratitude expressed becomes gratitude expanded. It's not just about feeling thankful, it's about letting someone else feel it, too.

 Giving Thanks Is How We Bring Gratitude to Life

Gratitude is a beautiful feeling. But giving thanks — expressing it, sharing it, acting on it — is what turns gratitude into connection, growth, and joy.

This season, let your thanks be heard.
Let your appreciation be felt.
Let your gratitude move from your heart into the world.

That’s the magic of giving thanks.
That’s the heart of a more connected, meaningful life.

Thanks to Freepik for the image.