A couple of days ago, my daughter and I started a family gratitude jar. We found an old glass jar, decorated it with stickers and Sharpies, and set it in the middle of our kitchen table. The rule is simple: Every evening, we each write down one thing we’re grateful for and drop it in. Today, hers was “the funny monkey video we watched,” and mine was “this quiet moment together.” It’s already clear: this little ritual is doing something big—for both of us.

What is it about gratitude that feels so powerful?

Psychologists and neuroscientists have been studying this question for decades, and, lately, some of the most compelling insights are coming not just from research journals but from public educators like Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford and host of the Huberman Lab podcast; Laurie Santos, a Yale professor who teaches The Science of Well-Being and hosts The Happiness Lab; and Mel Robbins, a motivational speaker who translates behavioral science into daily action. Despite their different audiences, all converge on a similar truth: Gratitude changes your brain—and your life.

Andrew Huberman explains that gratitude is not just a fleeting feeling: It’s a measurable neural event. Scientific research shows that gratitude practices can activate specific brain regions, particularly the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex, which are associated with empathy, context-setting, and prosocial behavior. The main neuromodulator involved in gratitude is serotonin, rather than dopamine, although dopamine also plays a role in motivation more broadly.

What’s especially noteworthy is that not all gratitude practices yield the same benefits. Huberman highlights that the most significant emotional and neurological effects........

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