What Is Being Grateful? To understand how being grateful is itself beneficial, it’s important to understand what I mean by ‘being grateful’. When a person is grateful for something, they believe they benefitted from what they are grateful for and they appreciate having received that benefit.  The following postulates about gratitude support the idea that gratitude benefits those who are greatful. How Gratitude Benefits the Grateful The following postulates about gratitude support the idea that gratitude benefits those who are greatful. You’re grateful when you feel appreciation for something you believe benefitted you. Being in a state of gratitude is being in a positive state.  And being in a positive.