During a casual conversation (or therapy session) while walking with a friend, I posed the question, “What comes to mind when I mention the word disposition?” Not wanting to influence her answer, I was reluctant to explain further the reason for this odd inquiry, but she’s accustomed to my random curiosities, so she humored me. After discussing the word as it relates to pets, such as a “friendly” or an “aggressive” dog, we eventually arrived at my first remembered encounter with the word as it relates to assessing teacher candidates before they enter their school placements.

Before completing my first educator disposition assessment, I don’t think I physically conducted a search to define the word Disposition, but there might have been a slight dip in confidence about my ability to finish the task until I began to read the descriptors under each of the elements. So, basically, I’m evaluating their character or their ethics, giving a perspective on their personality and do they exhibit the professional traits of a quality educator…I can do that! Now, fast forward a few decades, and as I attempt to satisfy my curiosity for what it means to cultivate a flourishing life, this intriguing concept known as Disposition appears as I’m researching some of the ideas for the post Vanishing Virtues.

Perhaps it is inevitable that seeds planted during research conducted for a dissertation will reappear in later academic pursuits, but I admit to experiencing a little bit of awe when it happens, especially in unanticipated words and concepts like Grateful Disposition. What began as a pursuit in graduate school to assist student-athletes to succeed in college has morphed into what it means for a person to cultivate healthy habits that lead to a Flourishing Life. However, for the first time, I have the language to describe what is at the heart of this endeavor. Not only do I desire that the Lord guides me to develop a Grateful Disposition, as I need all the assistance He will give me; but this is what I desire for each and every student who crosses my path.

Without taking a deep dive into the research that led to the term Grateful Disposition, let’s just say that one can’t delve into the topic of human flourishing without meandering through Aristotle, Christianity, and other avenues that lead to words like character and virtue, and specifically to the virtue of gratitude. Joseph Bankard articulates the idea so much better than I can, “Here I’m defining virtue as a positive character trait or disposition deemed morally good by a particular community, culture, or religious tradition. Unlike emotions, character traits and dispositions are stable over time…Virtues foster consistency because they help shape the whole person. Virtues not only impact behavior, they also help shape how a person thinks, feels, and perceives. As Aristotle argued, virtue means hitting the target, in the right way, at the right time, in the right amount, and for the right reason.”

So, to summarize my perspective: to flourish at life means that a person must cultivate virtues such as gratitude and humility along with other specific traits; but developing a Grateful Disposition leads a person down the path to establishing other virtues. Intersecting multiple disciplines, including health and well-being, cultivating the Habits of a Flourishing Life moves a person forward towards life satisfaction and happiness. However, in order to acquire the virtue of having a Grateful Disposition, a person must intentionally train themselves in doing things that evoke gratitude. Later, I hope to share specific activities that are useful in this endeavor, but now, let’s take a quick glimpse into why living intentionally grateful matters.

The science of gratitude demonstrates why gratitude is vital for our well-being including lowering blood pressure, building our immune system, reducing depression, building healthier relationships, and creating higher levels of happiness. But more than the physical benefits, a Grateful Disposition, when considering moral behavior, compounds the benefits. “Study after study shows that the experience of gratitude is positively correlated to an increase in helping behavior, increased generosity, and increased reciprocity…This research reveals the importance of cultivating gratitude as a virtue. It’s not enough to respond to feelings of gratitude. Instead, we should work to develop a Grateful Disposition increasing the stability and predictability of the moral behavior that results.”   

If you are not yet convinced that cultivating a Grateful Disposition can lead to, not only a flourishing life, but a flourishing community, please stay tuned, there is much more to come! But I will end this post with some final thoughts from Bankard, “Far from a burden or moral obligation, cultivating gratitude is incredibly beneficial to those who practice it. In many respects, it equips one to live into the abundant [flourishing] life described in the Gospels.”

Reference:

Peterson, G.R., Van Slyke, J.A., Spezio, M.L. & Reimer, K.S. (eds.) (2017). Habits in mind: Integrating theology, philosophy, and the cognitive science of virtue, emotion, and character formation. Brill.