Attitude of Gratitude

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in life, better health, peak performance in sports and business and a higher sense of well-being.

But while you may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still may be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. For gratitude to meet its full healing potential in your life, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. You have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. That means becoming more aware of what occurs in your daily life.

Practice Gratitude

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When you practice giving thanks for all you have, instead of complaining about what you lack, you give yourself the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing. Remember, what you focus your attention on expands in your world. Being grateful for something sends out a message to the Universe that more of the same would be welcomed into your life.

This may sound a bit crazy at first, but let’s explore that a bit more. If one thing goes wrong in your day & you focus on that, doesn’t it seem like everything else has a tendency to go bad? That’s because you’re focusing on negative energy. You’re sending out signals that you expect things to wrong – and they do. At the same time, if you give thanks for all the good things in your life, your whole day seems to turn out great with everything falling into place.

Go ahead and test this theory. Start out your day with thoughts of gratitude and expectations of having a great day. Stay in that positive mood through any experience you have that day. Once you begin practicing this day in and day out, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes for you. Instead of expecting bad experiences, expect good experiences. Notice how this affects the outcome of anything in your life.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach where the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where you put your focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when you focus on the gifts of life, you gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances you and gives you hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, legs that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, fresh eggs, warm jackets, tomatoes, the ability to read, roses, your health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude

• Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.

• First thing in the morning or just before retiring, run through a list of things you are grateful for. Doing this BOTH in the morning and evening really sets the tone of your thoughts.
• Practice gratitude every time something good happens. Notice and give thanks for everything big or small.

• Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation. Everything happens for a reason. Look for the lesson in each experience.

• When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

• Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude.

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work. Now I understand some days may be more challenging than others, but that’s all part of life’s journey. Being able to navigate through those with an attitude of gratitude creates a better mindset. That will empower you to meet those challenges head-on, knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

You have the power of choice to see life as a journey of experiences that enrich and support you or as a hard, unfair life. Which do YOU think will serve you better? Make each and every day your best by practicing the attitude of gratitude!