When we feel happy, safe, protected, and loved, we are grateful. It is so easy to be grateful when things are going our way, however, it is a challenge when we are hurt or disappointed. Putting aside politics, if we are feeling angry, betrayed, or depressed, we might try expressing gratitude and seeking serenity.

Researchers writing for Frontiers in Psychology report "that gratitude and life satisfaction mutually predict each other over time. The reciprocal relationships suggest the existence of a virtuous circle of human well-being: higher levels of gratitude increase life satisfaction, which in turn increases gratitude, leading to a positive spiral.''

What is it that you wish to see for yourself in this new year? A simple place to start is seeking serenity. Here are seven steps to guide all of us to a more peaceful place.

Step 1: Identify a serenity place within your home. If we think about ourselves living within a circle of serenity, what would it look like? Look around your home and identify a serenity spot, a place free of clutter and distractions. Create such a space and as you do so, express gratitude for the peace of mind that you can expect.

Step 2: Develop a gratitude attitude. Begin by expressing gratitude for your home. If it isn't perfect, make a list of how to bring your home, apartment, or room to a place of peace.

Step 3: Be grateful for family; that is the family that you were born into, and those who have become family.

Step 4: Express gratitude for friends. If you are in need of friendship, join an organization that puts you in touch with people who share your interests. The author Anaïs Nin says: “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”

Step 5: Embrace the forgiveness of others and even yourself. Write the words, "Ï forgive you and you forgive me. I wish you blessings.''

Step 6: Find a place in your home to turn a table into a gratitude desk. Fill a basket with thank you notes so you can easily express gratitude with the written word on paper rather than email. Buy a journal to record moments of surprise, joy, and positive encounters.

Step 7: Follow the lead of Dr. Martin Seligman, who introduced the concept of Three Blessings a Day. It is possible to create a way of thinking that is based on counting one’s blessings rather than woes. The formula is simple.

At the end of the day, in a journal:

Dr. Seligman encourages us to achieve what he calls the pleasant life by enabling people to think constructively about the past, gain optimism and hope for the future and, as a result, gain greater happiness in the present.

Copyright 2025 Rita Watson, MPH.

References

Unanue W, Gomez Mella ME, Cortez DA, Bravo D, Araya-Véliz C, Unanue J, Van Den Broeck A. The Reciprocal Relationship Between Gratitude and Life Satisfaction: Evidence From Two Longitudinal Field Studies. Front Psychol. 2019 Nov 8;10:2480. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02480. PMID: 31780992; PMCID: PMC6857001.

Conway, R. (2011). Flourish: a new understanding of happiness and well-being – and how to achieve them, by Martin E.P. Seligman. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(2), 159–161. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2011.614831

Lim WL, Tierney S. The Effectiveness of Positive Psychology Interventions for Promoting Well-being of Adults Experiencing Depression Compared to Other Active Psychological Treatments: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Happiness Stud. 2023;24(1):249-273. doi: 10.1007/s10902-022-00598-z. Epub 2022 Nov 5. PMID: 36373089; PMCID: PMC9638203.

A Serenity Journal: 52 Weeks of Prayer and Gratitude, Paperback – January 2000, Rita E. Watson, Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ

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