351. How gratitude changes your brain - The Psychology of your 20s

We’re always told that gratitude is the route to happiness – that we should be grateful for every experience we have. But when life feels like it’s falling apart, gratitude can feel less like a comfort and more like pressure. In reality, gratitude and pain often have to coexist. In this episode, we ask whether gratitude actually does make us happier - what it really is, how it rewires the brain, and why it sometimes feels impossible. We explore: •        What makes gratitude so powerful •        The cognitive and neuroscientific mechanisms behind gratitude •        Toxic gratitude when life simply feels hard •        The gratitude paradox •        The guilt associated with not being grateful enough •        Some alternatives for when gratitude feels inaccessible If you’...