The Science of Gratitude
Research shows that gratitude creates real, measurable changes in both the brain and body. Practicing gratitude activates the brain’s reward pathways and boosts neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which improve mood, motivation, and resilience. It also lowers stress hormones, supports immune function, and improves sleep and heart health. In everyday life, simple habits—like noting a few things you’re grateful for or expressing appreciation—can shift your mindset toward positivity and create lasting benefits for your emotional and physical well-being.
Our Approach
We aim to help people experience gratitude through their own daily contemplation and physical acts, while also acknowledging the subtleties of private gratefulness. While we have blogs and books to understand gratitude and how to use it in our lives, gratitude comes from within, and may only be truly achieved through one's own doing.
Who and Why
Ron Ticho is the founder of GratefulEveryday.org and the author of the reflections shared on this site. Over the course of his life and career, gratitude has evolved from a quiet value into a daily practice that grounds his sense of purpose, perspective, and well-being.
Ron’s professional journey has spanned academia, public health, and medical innovation. Early in his career, his work in higher education -- helping young people learn, grow, and find their voice -- instilled a deep appreciation for possibility and potential. Later, his involvement in addressing the AIDS epidemic profoundly shaped his worldview, opening his eyes to the deep health inequities that exist not only in HIV, but across chronic disease, access to care, and community trust. That work reinforced the importance of doing work that is not only impactful, but meaningful.
Throughout these experiences, gratitude became both an anchor and a guide especially during moments of loss, challenge, and change. It offered a way to remain present, to recognize resilience, and to honor the people, relationships, and moments that give life depth and meaning.
Through Grateful Everyday, Ron shares reflections on gratitude as a daily practice, one that fosters clarity, compassion, and connection. His hope is that these writings encourage others to pause, reflect, and discover how gratitude, practiced intentionally, can strengthen the mind, nourish the spirit, and support a more balanced and fulfilling life.