Gratitude
You know the feeling of gratitude for something amazing?
A new baby, a dream job, a negative test result. It comes with a sense of joy and peace and recognizing that things are going well in our lives. What if we could have that feeling every day and not just for the big things. Being grateful for a delicious cup of coffee, a beautiful sunrise or a hug from your child can be just as rewarding.
There are reams of research indicating that gratitude is a powerful emotion with positive benefits. Everything from improved physical and emotional health, happiness and relationships.
I’ve had a gratitude practice in the morning for several years and have discovered some other benefits.
-Gratitude overpowers other emotions like worry and feeling sorry for yourself. It shines brighter.
-It reduces envy for what others have and helps with contentment.
-It’s contagious. When you feel grateful for one little thing it overflows into other areas that you may not have thought about.
– Gratitude is an antidote to fear. It is impossible to feel gratitude and fear at the same time.
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” Tony Robbins
Here are some ways to cultivate gratitude:
1. Realize that gratitude is a choice
It’s hard to feel grateful when bad things happen. Few people feel grateful when they lose their job or take a financial or personal hit. There is a difference between feeling grateful and being grateful. Feelings follow from the way we view the world. Gratitude is a choice. It is a perspective from which we can view life and is not due to temporary circumstances.
2. We find what we look for
When we choose to be grateful and look for the good things in our lives, we find them. When we look for problems, injustices and things to complain about, we find them too. What we focus on expands.
3. We’re grateful because of God
Gratitude doesn’t require us to “turn our lemons into lemonade”. Life’s difficulties can be overwhelming. Our gratitude is not based on our circumstances, it’s based on God Himself who came to suffer for us and with us. It rests in knowing that He will ultimately redeem all the bad in this life, or the next.
1. It needs to be expressed
I write down what I am grateful for every morning in a simple journal. Writing it down is a fantastic way to chronicle the details of your life. It also helps you remember and appreciate the little and big blessings in your life.
Having an attitude of gratitude doesn’t cost any money and takes very little time. When we train ourselves to look at life through the lens of gratitude rather than disappointment, life just looks sweeter!
I am passionate about helping women live an empowered life fueled by purpose and hope. One that you are excited about and not just surviving, but Thriving! So keep reading and let’s do this crazy, wonderful “life” thing together.