Oprah practices it. Buddha pushed for it. There’s even a global campaign dedicated to it.

Gratitude is a universal buzzword. Being thankful, showing your appreciation and practicing gratitude is often said to be one of the most important things you can do. But why?

Grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress, according to research by Robert A. Emmons  at the University of California and Michael E. McCullough at the University of Miami.

"Grateful individuals place less importance on material goods; they are less likely to judge their own and others' success in terms of possessions accumulated; and are more likely to share their possessions with others relative to less grateful persons,” their research says.

Buddha said “a noble person is mindful and thankful of the favours he receives from others". Oprah recommends keeping a “gratitude journal”.

I hadn’t ever really thought deeply about “being grateful” until I read a book by US philosopher Dr John DeMartini called Gratitude Effect.

This line in it hit home: “Whatever we think about and thank about we bring about”.

I don’t have a gratitude journal but I do give thanks to what I have in my life. I am grateful for knowledge. I am grateful for a loving, supportive family and partner. And, I am grateful for having good health.

Since her death last week, thousands of people have paid tribute to Jane McGrath, cancer campaigner and wife of former Australian cricketer Glenn McGrath.

Most people were giving thanks to this extraordinarily strong woman who provided inspiration and guidance.

If you’d like to learn more about gratitude, the Gratitude Campaign website is worth a look, while the book Radical Gratitude And Other Life Lessons Learned in Siberia by Andrew Bienkowski and Mary Akers is a great place to start.

What do you think? Are you someone who shows gratitude? Do you think being grateful makes you a better person?