Expressing gratitude to others is among the most effective ways of raising our own and others' level of happiness and well-being.
The gratitude visit exercise was practised as part of Martin Seligman's positive psychology class and was considered one of the highlights of the class.
For a gratitude visit exercise, Martin Seligman suggests to select one important person from our past who had made a major positive difference in our life and to whom we could never express our gratitude. Then with adequate thought and time, a testimonial expressing our appreciation should be written. The length of the testimonial should be about one page.
When ready, the testimonial should be read to the person face to face and not expressed over phone or sent by mail. We can travel to the person's home or invite him/her over, but not tell the purpose of the meeting in advance. After settling down, the testimonial can be read aloud slowly, with expression and with eye contact. A laminated version of the testimonial should be a gift.
Expressing appreciation in this manner positively impacts relationships and the happiness of both the recipient and the person coveying gratitude.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
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4 comments:
Do you plan to try it out?
Yes.
It's an uplifting experience to watch the rush of a multitude of emotions when you word your love and appreciation for those who mean the world to you.
Even in relationships where love for each other is taken for granted, telling the person concerned, occassionally, that he/she means the world to you leaves a warm glow in the heart of the speaker and the listener.
Yes, it is said to benefit both the persons.
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