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Joy of Gratitude workshop by Vibha
Date: July 17 2026
Time: 9:30 am
Venue: Auditorium
Joy of Gratitude workshop by Vibha
When was the last time you felt grateful or expressed gratitude to someone or for something in your life? In the busyness of everyday life, we seldom pause to pay attention to and appreciate all that we have been given. In doing so, we often overlook a simple yet powerful practice that has the potential to enhance our well-being holistically—physical, mental, social, and spiritual. Interestingly, cultivating gratitude also helps foster a more positive outlook on life.
On 17 July 2026, Vibha facilitated two Gratitude Joyshop sessions at NIIT University. As part of the University’s Resonance 2026 programme, this marked the fifth consecutive year that these sessions have been conducted for fresh undergraduate students. A total of 120 students participated in two batches, with each highly interactive session lasting 90 minutes.
The Joyshop began with a reflective exercise in which participants were invited to simply observe their hands and contemplate the word gratitude. The responses were both thoughtful and heartfelt. One participant said, “I thought of my parents and everything they have done for me.” Another reflected, “I felt fortunate to have hands that allow me to do so many things.” A third participant remarked that he had never consciously looked at his hands before, despite relying on them every day.
The opening activity was followed by a brief check-in, during which participants shared their hopes from the session – How can I become more positive in life? How can I manage stress better? How does gratitude contribute to mental well-being? How to practice gratitude in difficult times?
Drawing upon the pioneering work of Professor Robert Emmons of the University of California, Berkeley, the facilitator shared neuroscience-based evidence demonstrating the benefits of maintaining a gratitude journal. Research has shown that a regular gratitude practice and journaling can contribute to improved physical, psychological, and social well-being. Reported benefits include a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, higher levels of positive emotions, greater optimism, resilience, and happiness. Studies also suggest that grateful individuals tend to be more compassionate, helpful, socially connected, and less likely to experience loneliness and isolation.
An important distinction emphasized during the session was that gratitude is not about forced positivity or pretending that everything is perfect. Rather, it is about consciously acknowledging and appreciating what is going well, even while facing life’s challenges.
Participants were then introduced to a simple yet practical framework (a key) for integrating gratitude into daily life—the 3Ps: Pause, Pay Attention and Praise.
Using this framework, the facilitator guided participants through ten different domains of life, encouraging them to pause, notice, and appreciate the abundance already present in each area.
In addition to exploring the neuroscience of gratitude, the sessions also touched upon gratitude in the context of life skills and relationship between the scale of human emotions and the chakra system, offering participants a choice of perspectives regarding effect of gratitude.
The Joyshops were designed as highly participatory learning experiences. Through a thoughtfully curated blend of reflective writing, drawing, storytelling, group sharing, and guided meditation, participants remained deeply engaged throughout the sessions. The result was an enriching and experiential journey that not only enhanced their understanding of gratitude but also inspired them to embrace it as a daily practice for greater well-being and a more meaningful life.
This was 285th Gratitude Joyshop session by the Facilitator – Vibha – who has conducted such sessions in 12 countries. Read more at https://www.vibhaspace.net/gratitude-joyshop/
