Gratitude and awe were just the two examples they used to demonstrate the underlying point, which was (paraphrasing) "if you practice being happy on a regular b

Gratitude and awe were just the two examples they used to demonstrate the underlying point, which was (paraphrasing) "if you practice being happy on a regular basis [by doing things that elicit positive feelings], even if just for a short period of time everyday, your brain will be more accustomed to associating 'happy' as a feeling that's 'in the rotation', so to speak, making it easier to feel happy in other situations and in general." Probably the most accessible metaphor in the article was that of learning a piano chord: do it a little every day and eventually it becomes second-nature. So, in other words, if you want to be happier, try being happy more often.