10/25/2025
Studies have revealed that every time you express gratitude your brain literally physically rewires itself making you naturally more positive and resilient. Gratitude activates key areas of the brain like the prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotions and decision-making. This process increases “feel good” neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, while decreasing stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, this creates and strengthens neural pathways associated with positive emotions and makes it easier to notice and appreciate good experiences.
To elaborate:
📑Activates reward and emotional centers: Gratitude stimulates the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and ventral striatum, which are critical for emotional regulation and mental well-being.
📑Increases feel-good chemicals: Gratitude stimulates the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which lead to feelings of happiness, pleasure and contentment.
📑Regulates stress hormones: Regular gratitude has been shown to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
📑Strengthens positive neural pathways: By consistently focusing on what you are thankful for, you strengthen the neural connections related to positive emotions and reframe your thinking. This makes it easier to experience positive feelings in the future.
📑Weakens negative pathways: Over time, this process can diminish the prominence of negative thoughts, as the brain shifts its focus from potential threats or past regrets to positive experiences.
By rewiring your brain and creating a more positive internal dialogue you not only improve mental health but also your actual physical health! Many people do not realize that a negative internal dialogue, continuous negative thoughts and anger are EXTREMELY harmful to your mental and physical health - actually able to even trigger autoimmune conditions.
See also: Laura I Hazlett et al. Brain Behav Immun. 2021 Jul.
