Why Vitamin G Is the Most Important Thing You’ll Take Today

Take your Vitamin G first thing in the morning. It’s free, it has no side effects, and it can set the tone for your whole day.

You may be wondering what Vitamin G is. Most people have never heard of it. The G stands for gratitude.

Some mornings you wake up full of energy. Other mornings, getting out of bed is a struggle. Either way, taking a moment to find something you're thankful for can shift how you feel, and it helps get your mind working.

What the research says

This isn’t just feel-good talk. In a well-known study from the early 2000s, Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough had people regularly write down things they were grateful for. Compared with people who didn’t, they reported feeling better about their lives, exercising more, and having fewer physical complaints. Other research has linked gratitude to better sleep, partly because grateful people tend to have fewer negative, racing thoughts at bedtime. A small study in heart failure patients even found that gratitude journaling was associated with lower markers of inflammation.

Gratitude isn’t a cure for anything, but the evidence suggests that how we think can influence how our bodies respond to stress.

You can take it anywhere

Vitamin G doesn’t need a special routine. Take it in bed, in the shower, with your coffee, or in the car before you walk into work. Name even two things for which you are thankful. They can be big (your family) or tiny (a warm blanket). Say them out loud or silently, whichever feels best to you.

My favorite way to get my Vitamin G is when I am getting some first light in my eyes. Morning light helps set your body’s natural clock, so you get two benefits at once. Depending on the time of year, that may mean stepping outside or sitting by a window.

When it’s still dark in the morning, I find those quiet minutes even more important. Before the day gets noisy, I sit still and let my mind settle into a happy place.

Your turn

Tomorrow morning, before you pick up your phone, take your Vitamin G. Three things, one minute. Notice how you feel. I’d love to hear how it goes.