Almost any self help book you read will have a chapter or section about the importance of gratitude. "Be thankful for what you have: you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you DON'T have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey
Here is a list of the benefits of a grateful attitude:
If you are prone to having automatic negative thoughts, having a grateful attitude will help to overcome this tendency. It is impossible to hold a negative thought while being grateful.
Gratitude creates a feeling of contentment and a sense of abundance.
Gratitude focuses on what you have rather than on what you don't have.
A mindset of gratitude trains our subconscious to look for positivity in any situation, even painful and unpleasant ones. Gratitude shows us how we can turn any situation into an opportunity for growth.
Gratitude opens your eyes to see opportunities and solutions to your problems that are difficult to see when you are focused on the negative.
What Gratitude is NOT:
It is not being in denial or ignoring the negative.
Gratitude won't make your problems go away, but it will make them seem less overwhelming and threatening.
Write a gratitude letter to someone who has made a difference in your life. It may be someone from the distant past, a family member, a former teacher or mentor. Maybe it is someone in the present who is impacting your life in a positive way. Find a creative way of expressing your gratitude, either in an email, a card or a phone call. A sincere expression of thanks will do wonders for the mindset of the individual as well as for yourself.
Develop a daily practice of being grateful with a gratitude journal. There are templates on the internet to help you get started. Even on the most challenging days, there is always something that went well, even if it is a tiny, ordinary moment. At the end of each day, I write three things in my gratitude journal for which I was thankful that day. It is a wonderful way to end the day and sets the tone for a good night's sleep.
In past blog posts I have talked about the importance of developing positive habits to help you become the person you want to be. A habit that could transform your life in a positive way, is to develop an attitude of gratitude. Why don't you try some of the suggestions that I have made and take your life in a direction that is brimming with contentment and joy!
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