Self-Guided Course
The Anatomy of Gratefulness: Say Yes to Life
Learn transformative principles and gratefulness practices to discover greater meaning in everyday life.
anatomy (a•nat•o•my) noun
a study of the structure or internal workings of something
What does it really mean to live a grateful life? We’re often taught that gratitude amounts to saying thank you and counting our blessings. This matters. But we can also learn a harmful version of gratitude that encourages us to seek silver linings in the midst of challenges. Where gratitude falls short, living gratefully offers a deeper path.
Living gratefully is the key to becoming fully alive and awake in body and mind — from healthy living habits to how we respectfully treat others. It is an orientation to life based on the foundational understanding that life is a gift. When supported by daily practice, living gratefully offers steadfast guidance in times of struggle and ease, heartache and joy. Reduced stress, increased joy, greater resilience, and a sense of belonging are just a few of the personal benefits.
Living a grateful life doesn’t stop at personal transformation. When we experience the gifts of living gratefully, we’re empowered to answer a revolutionary call. The grateful life asks us to take action on behalf of what we cherish, living our lives in a way that creates lasting change for ourselves and the world around us.
Whether you are new to living gratefully or a longtime practitioner, this course will equip you with daily practices, new language and ideas, and tools for living a grateful life rich with meaning, purpose, and joy.
I am turning 70 next week, have had two long and different careers, read lots of books, give lots of sermons and provide pastoral care and leadership, and have never heard the what, why, and how of grateful living put together so clearly and thoughtfully.
Alexandra H.
Register for The Anatomy of Gratefulness
Early bird pricing is available through January 31, 2026. If the cost of registration is not achievable, please reach out to us at [email protected].
In this course, you will discover and explore:
Five guiding principles for living gratefully as an orientation to life
The foundational daily practice that will guide you in times of joy and hardship
Inspiration and spiritual wisdom to help you develop a lasting practice
Scientific research that demonstrates how living gratefully can change your life for the better
Strategies to live purposefully and take meaningful action in alignment with your values
Meet the Instructors
Joe Primo
Chief Executive Officer
I first came across our founder Br. David Steindl-Rast’s scholarship while earning my Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School. Of all the spiritual practices and teachings of theologians, philosophers, and ethicists I was exposed to during my education, the practice of living gratefully was — and remains — the most transformative perspective for my life and work. It supported me through trauma, loss, transitions, and while working with the dying and grieving. It is a language and perspective like no other because it is multi-lingual in its universality. It opens us up to this remarkable and mysterious life, while also making us healthier in heart, mind, and body. To speak this language is to sing.
Sheryl Chard
Director of Education
I’ve been part of Grateful Living for over a decade, serving as the Director of Education since 2020. Prior to that, I spent nearly three decades as an education leader, building programs and leading organizations with equal concern for the life of the mind and the well-being of the heart. Gratefulness was a guiding principle throughout, aligning with my efforts to create places of belonging, creativity, wonder, and love. In my current role, I’ve been fortunate to immerse myself in the scholarship, spiritual teachings, and science of living gratefully — deepening what I’ve long believed and witnessed. Like all practices that hold the possibility of transformation, living gratefully is a lifelong journey of discovery. I look forward to sharing our teachings, resources, and practices—and walking part of the road with you.
Featuring Special Guests
Br. David Steindl-Rast
Joel Wong, Ph.D.
Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D.
Course Overview
The Anatomy of Gratefulness includes 20+ teaching videos, a digital workbook, supporting resources to deepen your learning, and illuminating conversations with world-renowned experts. You will have lifetime access to all course materials.
From spiritual roots to contemporary research, dive into living gratefully with a comprehensive overview of this transformative way of being. This module includes:
- Lesson One: Introduction
- Practice: (Re)Awaken to Life’s Gifts
- Lesson Two: Spiritual Roots & Contemporary Reasons
- Lesson Three: What Is Grateful Living?
- Practice: Say Yes to Life in All Its Fullness
- Lesson Four: Research Highlights
- Lesson Five: Closing Conversation
Discover the latest gratitude research in this conversation with Dr. Joel Wong, a Professor of Counseling Psychology at Indiana University, specializing in the science of gratitude, especially gratitude interventions and practices.
Learn about each of the five principles of living gratefully and how each can enhance your daily practice. This module includes:
- Lesson One: Introduction
- Lesson Two: Awaken to Awe
- Practice: Invite More Awe into Your Life
- Lesson Three: Say Yes to Joy
- Practice: Make Three Appointments with Joy
- Lesson Four: Befriend Imperfection
- Practice: Notice Imperfection’s Gifts
- Lesson Five: Reclaim Hope
- Practice: Invite Possibility
- Lesson Six: Cultivate Belonging
- Practice: Make an Improbable Friend
- Lesson Seven: Closing Conversation
Explore living gratefully with the “Grandfather of Gratitude” and founder of Grateful Living, Br. David Steindl-Rast. This delightful conversation includes Br. David’s insights on his work in interfaith dialogue, how to say “yes” to life even when faced with challenges, living gratefully as a spiritual practice, and more.
Start adopting gratefulness as an attitude of the heart with this thorough exploration of Stop.Look.Go, the foundational technique for living gratefully. This module includes:
- Lesson One: Introduction
- Lesson Two: Attitude of the Heart
- Lesson Three: The Importance of Practice
- Lesson Four: Introduction to Stop.Look.Go
- Lesson Five: The Steps of Stop.Look.Go
- Practice: Stop.Look.Go – Essential Steps
- Practice: Stop.Look.Go – Application
- Lesson Six: Closing Conversation
Gain insight on gratitude practice in this inspiring conversation with Dr. Diana Butler Bass, an award-winning author, popular speaker, inspiring preacher, and one of America’s most trusted commentators on religion and contemporary spirituality.
Put all you’ve learned into action and develop your unique expression of the grateful life. This module includes:
- Lesson One: Introduction
- Lesson Two: The Grateful Life
- Lesson Three: Recap & Resources for the Road Ahead
- Practice: Go! Come Alive Through Action
- Lesson Four: Closing Conversation
Start Your Gratefulness Journey
Early bird pricing is available through January 31, 2026. If the cost of registration is not achievable, please reach out to us at [email protected].