Digital #Gratmap Plots Gratitude Around the World
November 7, 2016
The Hawn Foundation’s MindUP™ Gratitude Map—made possible through a partnership with The Greater Good Science Center—creates a prompt every Friday to encourage visitors to post their general expressions of gratitude or those on a specific topic.
Provocations have included: “Teachers change lives, tell us about a teacher that changed yours in six words?” or “What is your favorite sweet treat that you are grateful for this åHalloween?” or “Fall has fell, what are you grateful for in nature, this season?” The Gratitude Map allows visitors to post their own expression of gratitude, with or without a picture — or to just browse from those gratitudes that have been posted form around the world.
The Hawn Foundation Founder, Academy Award Winning Actress and Children’s Advocate Goldie Hawn says, “Cultivating feelings of gratitude are an important part of MindUP.™ It is so important that it makes up an entire lesson in our 15-lesson framework. Research has shown that when you cultivate the practices of noticing and expressing feelings of being grateful, whether in a gratitude journal or through letters of thanks, the benefits can include reduced depression and an increased sense of well-being.” Ms. Hawn added, “In fact, this past January Indiana University researchers led by Prathik Kini, used brain scanning technology to prove that these psychological and health benefits can be present even months after the gratitude activity is completed.”
Major studies around the world are echoing this sentiment citing claims such as reduced anxiety, increased optimism, improvements in the cardio vascular system and even boosts to our immune system.
Laurie Coots, CEO of The Hawn Foundation added, “Gratitude is like a virtuous circle, the more you express gratitude, the more you become aware of how grateful you are — which is likely to make you kinder to others which in turn can cause them to be grateful. I am hoping that if people are having a bad day they can visit our Gratitude Map and ‘rub digital elbows’ with those that have posted on our site. Maybe reading expressions from others will contribute to one’s own “noticing” of the gifts in life — gifts to be grateful for.”
You can follow the progress of this experiment or post a gratitude yourself by visiting gratmap.mindup.org.
About MindUP™
MindUP™ is the signature program of The Hawn Foundation. MindUP™ is grounded in neuroscience, activated by mindful awareness, inspired by positive psychology and a catalyst of social and emotional learning. MindUP™ is an evidence based, CASEL approved, SEL program that is offered through schools and is brought to life by teachers in the classroom. Research has shown that SEL provided critical skills that help children achieve academically as well as build the personal resilience necessary for today’s world. The Mission of MindUP™ is to help children thrive in learning and in life. https://www.mindup.org
