Have you ever taken a moment to be thankful? Not just the automatic “Thank you” we say when someone does something for us. I am talking about being thankful for the little things in life, like the ability to breathe clean air, ability to see, hear, speak, feel, touch, and so much more that we take for granted.
In this post, I will share the idea of an “Attitude of Gratitude”, why it is important, and how you can transform your life by practicing it daily.
The idea of an attitude of gratitude is to be thankful for what you have and not be sad about what you do not have. It is about being grateful for the good things in life and not dwelling on the bad. Gratitude is a tool that helps us improve our well-being. It is a way to make us feel better about the present and more hopeful about the future. It can also help us bounce back when we are feeling down or depressed.
The practice of gratitude is one of the oldest spiritual practices in human history. The ancient Greeks called it “eucharistia”, which means “thanksgiving”. Gratitude has been shown to have many psychological benefits, such as improving mood and increasing optimism, hope, and self-esteem. It also improves sleep quality and reduces stress levels by lowering cortisol levels in the body.
Now that you know what an attitude of gratitude is, and why it is important, here are 5 easy ways you can develop an attitude of gratitude every single day and transform your life.
1. Create a Conscious Mindset
First, you need to believe that you have so much to be grateful for, starting with the gift of life itself. The fact that you are alive, breathing, seeing, hearing, feeling, touching, walking, talking, reading, and everything that you are able to do, is enough to be grateful for. When you are conscious about being grateful, you develop an abundance mentality and a positive attitude towards life. For example, if you are stuck in a traffic jam, instead of getting angry about being stuck, apply your conscious mindset of being grateful that you have a car and you are able to drive. This mindset will help you get through the bad times, because you will always be appreciative of everything that you have instead of being upset over something that went wrong.
2. Actively Appreciate
Quite often, we take a reactive approach to express gratitude as a reaction to something that happens. Active appreciation is consciously making a choice to find things to be grateful for on a consistent basis. When you choose to express gratitude consistently, you will find more value in the things and people you appreciate. For example, you can consciously decide that you will spend a couple of minutes every night before you go to sleep, to actively appreciate what you are grateful for. This practice will make you think about why certain things and people are important and valuable to you, which will make you more appreciative. By practicing this routine daily, you will keep growing your gratitude list which will increase your optimism and happiness.
3. Focus on the Present
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.” – Bil Keane.
If you are dwelling on your past mistakes and worrying about the future, you may be having difficulty being grateful about your present. This feeling is normal. Developing a positive attitude and feeling grateful does not happen overnight. You have to be kind to yourself by giving yourself time to let go of what happened in the past and consciously train yourself to focus on the present. For example, if you failed a course in school, you may be worried that you will not graduate and you will fail in your career too. However, if you reframe your thinking to focus on what you have and what you have achieved, your feelings of failure and negativity will be replaced by optimism, self-confidence and positivity. Perhaps you can rewrite the exam or maybe that course was not right for you so you can pick one that is better suited for you. Appreciating the gift of the present and taking ownership of the present moment will drive you to make decisions for a better future.
4. Appreciate Your Opportunities
Remember that not everyone gets the same opportunities that you have received. Some people may depict a perfect life on social media which would make you feel like your life is not that great. However, keep in mind that pictures on social media do not portray people’s real lives, and there is so much you do not know about them. Instead of feeling depressed about not having that perfect life, be grateful for the opportunities that you have received. There are people out there who could only dream of the things that you have. For example, instead of feeling sad that you cannot afford to buy the latest iPhone, be grateful that you have a phone and you know how to use it. Some people have not even seen an iPhone, let alone wish for it or buy it. Imagine yourself in their shoes and you will realize that you have so many opportunities to be grateful for.
5. Pay It Forward
Think of all the things and people in your life that you are grateful for. Did you ask for all that? So much of what you have has been given to you without asking for it, for example clean water, electricity, internet, or even your family and friends. These are blessings that we take for granted, without thinking twice about them. So how do we express our gratitude for all the things that we got automatically? One beautiful way is to pay it forward. This means that you do something for someone without expecting anything in return. It doesn’t have to be someone you know. You can spread gratitude, goodness and joy with every small act of kindness. For example, you can pay for someone’s coffee, donate your clothing, smile at the people you meet or help the elderly. Doing these random acts of kindness will make you feel content and grateful for everything that you have been blessed with, and you will brighten someone’s day which may be transformational for them!
Practicing an attitude of gratitude can lead to a sense of happiness and satisfaction with life. It can also help us better understand and appreciate those around us. Practicing this attitude will help us see the beauty in everyday moments and events that we take for granted. An attitude of gratitude can help you live a more positive life because you will consciously be appreciative of everything that you have. It also helps you feel less stressed because you are grateful for what you have instead of focusing on all the things that could go wrong. An attitude of gratitude is a way to recognize and appreciate all that you have in your life, even if it is not perfect. If we focus on what we don’t have, we will never be happy with the things that we do have in our lives. Whether you are living in the lap of luxury or barely getting by, your life can be transformed by practicing an attitude of gratitude.
“The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.” – Douglas Wood.
How do you practice an attitude of gratitude? You can pay it forward by sharing your thoughts in the comments below.
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