Gratitude

GRATITUDE

I started practicing?gratitude?consistently each morning about thirteen years ago now. At the time, I was unmotivated, negative, and ungrateful. I was constantly complaining, seeing only the bad in situations, and people, and never looking inward to see myself as I was. It is fair to say that my attitude towards life was generally negative. One day I visited a friend and saw a book called “The Secret” in her house. She led me the book and that’s where I came across gratitude. I think that we as a society don't realize how privileged we are in this world.

And it wasn't until I started practicing?gratitude?every day, that I noticed how much there is to be grateful for. And this goes far beyond material things. It touches on our thoughts, emotions, feelings, and general outlook toward life.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative and is associated with several mental and physical health benefits. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.

HOW CAN YOU ADOPT AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE?

As I mentioned earlier, it took a book to make me aware of gratitude, and for most people who may not be readers, it takes some profound observation and awareness to realize and acknowledge how much good has been given to us.

With our busy lives, we may not have time to stop and note what’s happening around us. We are wired to focus more on the important tasks that need our attention all day and sometimes at night.

I would like to give you some tips on how you can adopt and practice gratitude with just a few minutes to spare each day.

1.???Look around you, within you, and identify one or more things that you like and feel good about having. It can be your home, food, fresh air, smile, hands, eyes, phone, money, or family. The list is endless. Acknowledge it and say “thank you for my eyes” or “I am grateful for my family”. As you say this, think about it and feel the love. It helps to close your eyes and appreciate it. How does it make you feel?

2.???When you get up in the morning, say “thank you for this beautiful day” or “I am grateful for this day”. This becomes an affirmation and is quite powerful. Try as much as possible to feel good about what you are saying, I recommend adding a smile because when you smile you feel good. You can follow this up by saying, “I will be grateful for everything today”. Another powerful affirmation that helps set the tone of your day. As you go to the shower you can affirm “I am grateful for the water I use to shower every day”. After the shower, you can appreciate your clothes, body lotion, perfume, accessories, etc. By the time you are done getting ready, you have already dictated how your day will be, by just being grateful you are already in a good mood.

3.???As you move about your day, maybe you are in a traffic jam, instead of focusing on it, think of the comfort you are in, sitting in a car as opposed to walking, that’s another chance to be grateful and not feel delayed by the traffic jam.

4.???Be conscious of all the activities in your day and make a note to appreciate everything that goes well. It can be a colleague or a customer who is good to you, the tea person who brings you tea daily, the cleaner who cleans your office, etc.

5.???In the evening before bed, take a small notebook and write 5 things that you appreciated in your day. The safety and protection given to you all day. The food you ate, the people you interacted with and the influence they had on your life, that you are alive, the tasks you accomplished, the money that came your way, your job, your body that you live in, etc. Make this practice a routine. It will become a habit and later on as you read what you wrote in the beginning, you will realize that you are growing in your gratitude journey. Because you will not want to repeat the same things every day, you will have to think and include many others and soon enough your list will be big and interesting. This will also boost your mood as you cannot be negative or unhappy while appreciating the good things.

6.???Include your family members or friends in your gratitude activities. This can be asking the kids to write one thing they are grateful for on a small piece of paper and put it in a jar. To make it fun, you can all open the jar over the weekend and read the gratitude notes together. It is so much fun and also creates a quality bonding session for the whole family instead of having the gadgets.

7.???Create gratitude rituals as you grow in your gratitude practice. Pausing for a moment to appreciate something and giving thanks for it can help you feel a greater sense of gratitude. Prayers, meditation, or mantras are examples of rituals that can inspire a greater sense of gratitude

Gratitude is often a spontaneous emotion that you feel in the moment. We are all different and so are our experiences. Some people will acknowledge more gratitude in their experiences than others but all in all, we can cultivate the attitude of gratitude using the above simple tips and make it a lifetime habit.

WHAT DOES GRATITUDE DO FOR US?

“Gratitude blocks toxic emotions, such as envy, resentment, regret, and depression, which can destroy our happiness” ROBERT EMMONS, PROFESSOR AT UC DAVIS

?You Must have heard that “Gratitude makes the world go round.” It is a true and common saying among people who practice gratitude. I have compiled a few things that gratitude has done for me over the years.

1.???I appreciate life more than I used to. This has led me to notice even the smallest things that go well in my life. When someone gives me the way on the road, I acknowledge and feel gratitude for that person. I realize how much there is to be grateful for without having to wait for something special to happen.

2.???Gratitude silences my ego. It keeps me grounded. It is impossible to be grateful and arrogant at the same time because the feeling of gratitude makes you want to be in a peaceful space.

3.???I look at the positive side of life. As opposed to thinking about how late I am for a meeting, I am grateful that I have a place to go to in the first place. Too much work? I am grateful that I have a job that enables me to pay for my expenses.

4.???In a state of gratitude, I can realize how blessed I am and this makes me want to bless others. It makes me want to serve and help others.

5.???By appreciating and acknowledging everything I have, I find that more is given to me. I do not understand how this happens but it has happened over the years. It must be the magic of gratitude.

6.???As I practice gratitude, I feel joyful and in high spirits. This leads to better interactions in my days and sound decision-making because I don’t feel pressured or under stress.

7.???Everything works out for me. I tend to find solutions and resources more easily than before. The power of gratitude shows inside out. In life, people are more drawn to happy people and when you feel grateful in all situations, it shows even when there’s a big challenge.

8.???Gratitude brings about success in life. It opens doors and makes the seemingly impossible possible.

Experiencing gratitude activates neurotransmitters like dopamine, which we associate with pleasure, and serotonin, which regulates our mood. It also causes the brain to release oxytocin, a hormone that induces feelings like trust and generosity which promotes social bonding and feeling connected. This leads to fulfillment in life and that’s our biggest desire. — AMY E. KELLER, PSYD

In conclusion, the best way to make gratitude a habit is not to wait for special moments. Be sure to consider positive actions and events that might seem small, common-place, or inconsequential. Be intentional with your practice. Initially, you will feel weird but that wears off as the joyful feelings soar high. I am grateful that you took the time to read this and I wish you the best in your gratitude journey.

If you are ready to adopt an attitude of gratitude, please reach out to me, I will be pleased to guide you through it.??