Researchers discover gratitude reaching record levels despite growing stress, declining optimism, and ongoing global uncertainty.
Gratitude has reached the highest level recorded since the launch in Spring 2020 of the Eastern Washington University and Gracianna Winery Grateful Study, according to newly released findings from the study’s fourth wave.
The longitudinal research project, conducted periodically since the onset of the pandemic, reveals a striking and somewhat unexpected trend: Americans report feeling significantly more gratitude today than at any prior point in the study’s six-year history, even as indicators of stress and irritability have increased.
Among all positive emotions measured, gratitude once again ranked highest, continuing a pattern observed throughout each wave of the study. More notably, gratitude showed a significant increase from 2024 to 2026 while most other positive emotions remained flat or declined.
Researchers found gratitude scores rose nearly 10% in 2026, the highest level observed since the study began. Happiness also increased during the same period, while emotions such as Calmness, Relief, and Optimism all declined.
“This year’s results surprised me,” said Philip Watkins, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University and principal investigator of the study. “Typically, we would expect rising stress and irritability to suppress positive emotions. Instead, gratitude continued to increase and is now higher than we’ve observed in any previous survey. The question these findings raise is simple: Why? Understanding what is driving this increase in gratitude may help us better understand emotional resilience in uncertain times.”
Researchers believe the rise in gratitude may indicate a recovery from the post-pandemic fatigue observed in 2021, or it could show that more individuals now value gratitude as a tool for personal well-being.
The study also confirmed what decades of prior research have suggested: Gratitude remains one of the strongest predictors of happiness. In the current survey, researchers incorporated a validated measurement of life satisfaction and gratitude emerged as a powerful predictor of emotional well-being.
Perhaps even more revealing were the personal attitudes most closely associated with gratitude.
Among the strongest predictors were:
- Appreciating each day one is alive.
- Seeing clearly what is truly important in life.
- Taking time to recognize life’s blessings.
- Feeling grateful for the positive aspects of life.
These findings suggest that gratitude appears less connected to external circumstances and more closely related to perspective, priorities and an appreciation for life’s everyday experiences.
Looking across all four surveys conducted since 2020, the emotional trajectory is equally compelling. Gratitude experienced its lowest point during the height of pandemic uncertainty in 2021, then steadily climbed in 2024 before reaching a new peak in 2026. Happiness has followed a similar upward pattern.
At the same time, the emotional picture is far from uniformly positive. Compared with 2024, Americans report higher levels of worry, stress and irritability. Yet those increases have not prevented gratitude from growing. Researchers say this divergence may represent one of the study’s most important discoveries to date.
“This research suggests that gratitude isn’t simply the result of life getting easier,” said Trini Amador IV, co-founder of Gracianna Winery. “People are still navigating challenges, uncertainty and stress. What appears to be changing is their ability to recognize what matters most despite those challenges. That’s an encouraging message for all of us.”
The Grateful Study was originally launched in 2020 by Gracianna Winery to better understand how Americans were responding emotionally to unprecedented global events. Over time, it has evolved into one of the few longitudinal efforts tracking gratitude and related emotional states across multiple years.
“For years, Gracianna has celebrated gratitude as more than a feeling. We see it as a way of living,” said Fernando Arellano, Hospitality Manager of Gracianna Winery. “What inspires me most about this year’s findings is that gratitude appears to be growing even when life remains complicated. That’s a reminder that gratitude is not dependent on perfect circumstances. It’s something people can choose, cultivate, and carry forward.”
Researchers plan additional analyses to better understand the factors contributing to the continued rise in gratitude and its growing connection to life satisfaction and resilience.
ABOUT THE STUDY
The Eastern Washington University and Gracianna Winery Grateful Study was first launched in Spring 2020 and has continued through 2021, 2024, and 2026. The research examines emotional well-being, gratitude, resilience, life satisfaction, personal growth, and future outlook among American adults. The 2026 survey continued the study’s longitudinal examination of how gratitude influences emotional health and happiness over time.
