The Power of Gratitude

Out of the countless successful people I’ve met, interviewed, and gotten to know over the years, there is one thing they tend to agree on: gratitude is one of the most powerful tools on the planet.

In order to take advantage of the power of gratitude, it helps to be consistent and persistent. Work to be grateful every day, and never quit on it.

8 Different Ways To Practice Gratitude

Say “Thank You” as Much as Possible: Say it to yourself before you go to bed and when you wake up. And don’t just say the words either, put intention and attention to those words.

Take a Daily Inventory of Gratitude: Make it a habit to find grateful moments in your life every day. Keep a gratitude journal or list out a few things you’re grateful for at a specific time each day, or try to bring awareness to things that you are taking for granted

Frame Tour Gratitude:

Shift your perspective by considering what you’ve learned from tough times, or how far you have evolved since then. Gratitude doesn’t always have to be focused on the good things; it can be helpful to find gratitude in the “bad” occurrences as well.

Ask Yourself Questions:

Meditate on your relationships with parents, friends, siblings, work associates, children, and partners using these questions: “What have I received from __?”, “What have I given to __?”, and “What dis-ease have I caused to __?”

Share Your Gratitude:

Research has found that expressing gratitude can strengthen relationships. So, the next time your partner, friend, or family member does something you appreciate, be sure to let them know. “Thank You” is something you truly can’t say enough, especially to those closest to You.

Practice Gratitude Using Your Senses:

Be grateful for the ability to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear, especially when not everyone is given those gifts.

8 Different Ways To Practice Gratitude (Cont’d)

Give Yourself Reminders:

Make sure there are some sort of cues to trigger thoughts of gratitude. Visual reminders, like sticky notes at your desk or on the fridge at home, can be a great way to reinforce your favorite gratitude Practices.

Be a Student of Your Calendar:

Make sure that at least one of the methods discussed is a daily activity that you have planned and execute upon that Plan.

3 Ways To Build a Grateful Perspective

Find the Light, Love, and Lessons in Everything: Gratitude is like a muscle that needs to be exercised, even when you are not feeling up to it. Try to find the silver lining in your past, present, and future experiences, rather than dwelling on the negative.

Feed Into the Positive, Don’t Vote For the Negative:

The mathematical equation for coincidence (or luck) is that your attention plus your intention equals the coincidences that occur in your life. Don’t spend your time worrying about what might happen or voting for what others want for you, instead of what you want for yourself. Cancel the negative, clear your mind, and connect with what inspires you

Create Gratitude Triggers:

Find little ways to remind yourself to be grateful throughout the day, like saying “thank you” for stop lights for keeping you safe, rather than being angered at an ever-so-slight delay or saying a prayer at mealtime. Taking out the trash used to be a hated activity for me, until I started using that time to think about what I wanted in life.

5 Positive Effects of Gratitude

1. It boosts your mental health - Studies have shown that there are positive mental impacts to expressing gratitude, and it can help your mood.

2. It helps your physical health - The release of feel-good hormones associated with doing good deeds (like saying “thank you”) can help relieve stress and pain, and these actions can have a greater effect over the long term.

3. It helps you accept change - Few things in life are certain, but change is one of the certainties. A grateful perspective is a massive asset when dealing with the sudden and unexpected we all experience in our lives.

4. It helps you maintain an optimistic outlook - Grateful people don’t make mistakes, they learn lessons. And when you appreciate what you have (and add value to it) in the present, you also tend to have greater aspirations for the future.

5. It helps you to achieve more - Grateful people live closer to their potential, and don’t take for granted