The Hidden Power of Gratitude (That Most People Are Missing)

by | Nov 25, 2025 | NeuroTip | 0 comments

A tiny practice with big effects on inflammation, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.

We’ve all been told to “practice gratitude”—write a list, name three things, focus on the positive.
And while those practices aren’t wrong, they often miss the heart of what actually changes the brain.

Real gratitude—the kind that shifts your nervous system—isn’t cognitive. It’s embodied.
It is a “felt” sense. A softening. A moment where you truly receive.

This is the kind of gratitude that calms inflammation, boosts immunity, widens your window of tolerance, and strengthens resilience. Research now shows that the brain doesn’t rewire just because you made a list…
It rewires when gratitude becomes an experience, not a task.

It’s the warmth you feel when someone genuinely thanks you.
It’s the fullness in your chest when you remember a moment of kindness.
It’s the tenderness that arises when you witness gratitude shared between others.

Those are the moments that the nervous system registers as safety, connection, and nourishment—and that’s where transformation happens.

 

NeuroTip: A 2-Minute Embodied Gratitude Reset

 

Try this simple practice to shift into the felt sense of gratitude.
(You can do it right now.)

  1. Recall a moment when someone offered you genuine kindness.
    Something small, sincere, and meaningful.
  2. Picture the moment like you’re watching a gentle movie scene.
    Notice the place, the tone of their voice, their expression.
  3. Let yourself receive their intention again.
    Sense what they meant for you—support, care, encouragement—and allow it to land in your body.
  4. Stay with the sensation for 10–20 seconds.
    This pause is what helps your nervous system encode the experience.
  5. Notice the shift.
    A deeper breath. A softening in your chest. A sense of being held.
    These tiny physiological cues are signs your brain is accessing its “gratitude circuitry.”

Practice this a few times a week—and watch what changes.

The research is so fascinating!

If you’re curious to explore more of the science, Dr. Andrew Huberman has fascinating short podcasts episodes that break down how heartfelt gratitude changes brain chemistry and long-term wellbeing. It’s not about performing gratitude—it’s about feeling it.

With Gratitude

Fanny:)