This secret tool can help you boost happiness
| Aug 29, 2018, 17:21 IST
A new study has found that writing letters of compassion and gratitude pretty much work like secret tools that can boost happiness not just for the recipient but the sender as well. Researchers, including Amit Kumar from the University of Texas at Austin in the US, conducted the research. They asked a few people to write letters of gratitude to people who had done something nice for them and then anticipate the recipient's reaction.
It was found that the senders overestimated the awkwardness the recipients would feel on receiving the letter and underestimated the surprised and positive reactions the recipients would feel instead. This gesture included well being for both the writers and the recipients. “What we saw is that it only takes a couple of minutes to compose letters like these, thoughtful ones and sincere ones,” said Kumar. “It comes at little cost, but the benefits are larger than people expect,” he said.
"It is more fundamental to how the human mind works and a well-established symmetry about how we evaluate ourselves and other people,” said Kumar. “When we are thinking about ourselves, we tend to think about how competent we are, and whether we are going to be articulate in how we are expressing gratitude,” he said. Well, looks like its time to start writing thank you notes.
It was found that the senders overestimated the awkwardness the recipients would feel on receiving the letter and underestimated the surprised and positive reactions the recipients would feel instead. This gesture included well being for both the writers and the recipients. “What we saw is that it only takes a couple of minutes to compose letters like these, thoughtful ones and sincere ones,” said Kumar. “It comes at little cost, but the benefits are larger than people expect,” he said.
"It is more fundamental to how the human mind works and a well-established symmetry about how we evaluate ourselves and other people,” said Kumar. “When we are thinking about ourselves, we tend to think about how competent we are, and whether we are going to be articulate in how we are expressing gratitude,” he said. Well, looks like its time to start writing thank you notes.