Attitude of Gratitude

This month in the United States many of us will celebrate Thanksgiving. Depending on your tradition, this could include reflecting on everything you are grateful for in the year that has passed. For me, there was a period of time when attending family festivities meant being a part of a circle of 40+ people doing just that. It was special, and often resulted in some tears. These tears may have started from the person sharing, but often also elicited similar tears from others. It could have been tears of gratitude for getting through pain or for the people that have been there along the journey, or perhaps tears of joy for new beginnings. Either way, those moments were powerful for the individual and those in the room.

An attitude of gratitude can change lives – ours and others. Here are three ways I have found it has changed mine:

1. Perspective – when I take time to think about what I am grateful for it can help me realize what I do have vs. going down the rabbit hole of what I do not. Often, we have blessings or achievements that others dream about, but if we do not step back to acknowledge what we have been given or achieved, it is easy for the world to tell us what is missing.
2. Empowerment – as #1 is achieved, we then can make a choice to root ourselves in positivity and thankfulness vs. the opposite. This can help provide a feeling of control over where we focus our thoughts.
3. Inspiration – outwardly sharing what we are grateful for can inspire. Others may visually see or know the challenges we have faced (or are facing) and think, “Wow, how can that person have gratitude when they have endured so many challenges (or are currently)? If they can operate from a place of positivity given all their headwinds, maybe I can as well.”

Many experts state how important gratitude is to mental health. And if our mental health is critical, then pursuing gratitude as a habit - moment to moment, day to day, year to year - must be one of the most important goals we can ever set. If we wait for only one day a year to do it, we may be missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime.?