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Gratitude is an essential element of a happy life.
It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy.
This quote reminds me that our mindset has a TON of influence on our lives, our happiness, our health, our success.
Also, it reminds us that when we’re upset we have the option to stop and evaluate. To consider whether what we are feeling will matter in the long run. Ask yourself, will this matter in a year? In five years? If not, then you might want to breathe and let it go.
Gratitude is essential.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
~ Psalm 107:1
Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
How often are we so busy in our day to day lives that we forget to stop and appreciate all that we have?
Do you wake up and immediately say, “Thank you for another day” or do you mumble about the alarm and stumble out of bed begrudgingly?
Wouldn’t it be great if we stopped each morning and said the words aloud, “Thank you for today. Thank you for the breath in my body and the heartbeat in my chest.”
Being thankful. Showing appreciation. Expressing gratitude. This is how we flip the switch in our minds. How we turn have to’s in to get to’s. How negatives can become positives.
Even in the darkest situations, if we have enough time, we can find something to be thankful for.
Did we learn something? Did we love someone? Was kindness shown for others? Did we become stronger after the struggle? Are we more understanding and empathetic because of the hurt?
Reasons to practice gratitude
- Practicing gratitude enhances your overall well-being. Grateful people are more often agreeable and open to ideas and situations as they are presented to them.
- Gratitude is inversely related to depression. Not that gratitude cures depression, but people who practice gratitude struggle less with depression.
- Gratitude makes it easier for us to forgive others. Acknowledging that we all have different strengths helps us to also acknowledge that we all have different weaknesses.
- Practicing gratitude improves your overall outlook on life and may lead to making healthier decisions for yourself.
- Practicing gratitude encourages us to seek happiness and participate in activities that bring us joy.
- Gratitude shows us what we value in our lives and helps us to focus on those elements.
- You can sleep better at night. Focusing more on the good things in your life leaves less room and time for the negative thoughts and thus helps you to have a lighter head and heart when your head hits the pillow at night.
- You won’t beat yourself up for your perceived shortcomings. By being grateful for what you can do instead of what you can’t do you will set yourself free from the constant comparison cycle.
Gratitude, like many other things in our lives, grows when we practice it. When we take the time to notice today, it will be more noticeable tomorrow.
7 Ideas to practice gratitude
- Write thank-you notes! I know it may seem a bit old fashioned, but there’s a level of deep appreciation when you receive a real handwritten note from someone else because you know they not only thought about you, but they also took the time to write it down.
- Write a thank you text, email, or media post. These may not elicit the same level of warmth as a handwritten note, but they still deliver the message of gratitude and make someone else feel appreciated.
- Write down 3 things each day that you are thankful for in a notebook, your phone, or Tweet it. The action is the most important part. Acknowledge what you are grateful for each day.
- Laugh! Laughter is the best medicine. Find something that makes you laugh. Watch it. Read it. Share it with a friend. Laughter is a sign that you have a connection with this person.
- Go for a gratitude walk. Take a walk inside or outside and look for things or people that you are thankful for. Look at the big things and the little things. This is a fun activity to do with kids!
- Reach out to a friend or colleague and ask them how they are doing or share something encouraging with them. Gratitude is contagious and a great gift that can be free to share with others.
- Purposely look for a reason to compliment one person each day.
Books on gratitude:
What are some of your favorite books on gratitude? Here are some of ours and some recommendations.
Summary
We often cannot change the situations around us. However, we can change the way we see or look at situations. This is why gratitude is essential. We can change our focus. Improving your focus will improve your outlook and your level of happiness.
In conclusion, start looking for things, people, and situations that you are thankful for and set your focus on them.
If you are looking for a way to keep up with your gratitude habit or other habits check this out in our Etsy store and this blog here.
Looking for a monthly challenge? Check out Spread the Love Challenge.