Being grateful seems like something you do for others, but it is a wonderfully selfish act as well. So although saying thanks has positive effects on those who hear it, it turns out that those who are thankful have lots to gain.

Are you suffering from what I call the ‘never good enough’ syndrome? Are you always wanting more than what is? And are you beating yourself up because you don’t have it? Are you convinced that what you have now is not as good as what your neighbors have or what your best friend has.

We are living in extraordinary times. Like many people, I’ve been riding the waves of personal and collective fear, grief, shock, chaos, hope, vulnerability, and openhearted tenderness as the reality around me in my country and in the world continues to shift.

Feeling deep gratitude is wonderfully addictive; the more we do it, the more we want to do it, and so we begin looking even more deeply to reflect on things for which we’re grateful. I first learned about the amazing power of gratitude during a time when my financial situation was quite bleak...

How can we remain stress-free in the face of cultural pressures to react instantly to communications and demands? Giving of ourselves is a stress reliever that yields immediate emotional benefits, bringing meaning to our lives.

Each year, the average American family donates approximately 3.4 percent of its discretionary income to charity. So what inspires individuals to donate to charity?

As I reflect on the tradition of Thanksgiving, I am reminded that Thanksgiving needs to take place every day, and every single moment of the day. Maybe that's what mindful meditation is all about... remembering to be grateful and appreciative...

We want to wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving. This year, with all that is happening in our country, it seems more important than ever to take a break from the news and focus on gratitude and loving.

Would you be more grateful for a trendy new sofa or for a relaxing family vacation?

The desire to create a more humane business often coincides with the desire to be a force for good in the world. This reflects the higher purpose we feel emerging inside us as a result of greater self-awareness. Such increased self-awareness eventually expands to include the surrounding community and the world as a whole...

I've been holding back. I've been biting my tongue until I can process the current events and search inside myself for my personal truth before I add to the noise. I've been wanting to transform this whole thing into something positive and I wasn't having much luck...

"Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened."  Those nine words by Ted Geisel (Dr.Seuss), one of our country’s favorite storytellers, contain so much wisdom. They apply to many different aspects of life, but I would like to focus on the area of relationships.

Philanthropy watchers such as Forbes, Business Insider and the Chronicle of Philanthropy regularly produce rankings of the most generous philanthropists in the United States.

Ah, yes! Gratitude is magical. Once you get into the groove of it, you will know why. There is nothing so freeing and so exhilarating as pouring out gratitude, not just for what we can easily see as benefits, or enjoyable things and situations, but for every moment of existence and for whatever happens.

God knows that we are artists of life. One day He gives us a chisel, another we may receive brushes and a canvas, and still another day He gives us a pen to write. But we will never use a chisel on canvas, or pens on sculptures. Each day has its own miracle.

“Is it possible I could have steeled my purse against him?” the Romantic essayist Charles Lamb asked in 1822, writing about a man who sat each day by the road begging alms. “Give, and ask no questions.” Today, charities must answer plenty of questions before they can persuade an often wary public to untie their purse strings.

"It's very surprising and disappointing to find such low rates of people helping each other and that African-American patients and those in poorer counties are left to wait longer for help," says Erin York Cornwell.

Generally, people consider life to be a natural phenomenon in which one profits without giving anything in exchange. But the miracle requires an exchange: what we were given, we must share with others. If we are not united, we cannot grasp the miracle.

Every day, we are confronted with choices about how to spend our money. Whether it’s thinking about picking up the tab at a group lunch or when a charity calls asking for a donation, we are faced with the decision to behave generously or not.

You might think that people know you are grateful, so you don’t have to share it. But remember that expressing your gratitude is a special gift for you as well. I feel very far from perfect in remembering to say thank you, and yet it has become something that is very important to me...

Holding the hummingbird was a gift. It was an awesome privilege to be given thirty unforgettable minutes when time stood still and I held the most exquisite creature in my hands, felt its warmth, and marveled at its magnificence.

Last week Toby Porter, CEO of the NGO HelpAge, went to Nepal to meet with people recovering from the earthquakes that have devastated the country. He asked them an interesting question: would you rather we buy you the stuff you need, or would you rather we just give you the money?

There are two different types of acknowledgment. There are compliments which are more superficial and then there are deeper appreciations that involve your character and inner qualities. How do you handle acknowledgment from others?