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What is Gratitude?

Take a moment to think about what you are grateful for…

Some people only do this once a year, at Thanksgiving. They get together with family and friends and celebrate with eating a big feast of Turkey, pumpkin pie etc.

But I believe that we should do this every day! Not by having Thanksgiving every day but being grateful and having gratitude.

We all have so much to be grateful for,  think about it:

• Loved ones
• People that love you
• Friends
• Family
• Your job
• Good weather
• Holidays
• Sunshine
• Your home
• Your health

Now I can hear some people saying… But:

• My job sucks
• The weather is horrible
• My spouse is abusive
• I have no friends

If that’s the case, being grateful may take a little more effort.

There are always people worse off than us

If you job sucks, at least you have a job, you’re earning money, can pay the rent and buy food. That’s something to be grateful for!

If the weather is not so warm today, think about all the lovely things you can do to connect with yourself or loved ones, wrap up and go out for a walk, light a fire and enjoy the sounds of the crackling fire.

If your spouse is abusive, at least you realise this and maybe it’s time to make some changes.

If you have no friends, it’s possibly because you don’t like yourself. Being grateful will change that and soon others will start to like what you like.

The more we focus our energy on being positive and finding things to be grateful for, the more we’ll experience life and the joy it brings.

Become aware of your thoughts

Are you surrounded by negativity, complaints, bad attitudes or are you surrounded by encouragement, positivity and complements?

The things you focus on, have an amazing ability to keep reappearing in your life. If you want a different reality for yourself, then start focusing on the things you want, rather than the things you don’t want.

When we focus on our problems, you can be sure that you’ll get a good dose of them, however, when we focus on the possibilities, we start to see the opportunities they create.

If your happiness depends on what someone else must  do for you, you’re surrendering your power and becoming puppet on a string, dancing to other peoples tunes. Take back control and choose to be the master of your own destiny and happiness. If you’re grateful for what you have, you’ll get even more to be grateful for.

If you haven’t already, you can start now! Don’t wait until one day when you have:

• a new job
• a new car
• more money
• a loving relationship

Life doesn’t work that way. Start by being grateful for what you have and you’ll discover a whole new world waiting for you.

Practice being grateful, get a journal and every morning or evening take some time out and reflect on your life and write down things that you are grateful for. This process will help you clear your mind and get a better focus, re-generate your energy and make you more grateful.

Be grateful for having enough.

We often talk about what we don’t have enough of.  I didn’t get enough done today, I didn’t get enough sleep. If that’s the case, start replacing these thoughts with grateful ones, like, I’m glad I was at least able to sleep for 5 hours (it’s better than no sleep at all).

Starting or ending your day with grateful thoughts will have a dramatic affect on your life and those you interact with.

Gratitude is the fulfillment of Life

We need to concentrate on what we have and not what we don’t have.  There is power in the words we speak and think.

Having gratitude is living in the now.  Sometimes we think about where we are going and forget to be grateful for where we have come from

Getting started…

First, write down 5 things you are grateful for.  They should be specific and real.  As you do so you’re wiring your brain to notice details about the positive things in your life. That’s good and will bring you energy and joy.

Next, write down 5 things you want to be grateful for, coming from the situation you’re in now, that’s not perfect and which you would like to change. By doing so, you’re planting an intention, a seed that will soon blossom.

Finally, share your gratitude in the comments below. Gratitude is powerful, and it is even more powerful if it helps someone else to be grateful too.

As for me? I’m grateful to every one of you, for reading this blog and, maybe, for sharing your gratitude with others.