Gratitude the Game-Changer

Living in a consistent state of gratitude is a game-changer. It is not just about saying thank you for the things you receive. It is about making it a cornerstone for the way you live. Living with gratitude at the center of your day is a personal choice, and it can shift your attitude, emotions, and the way you cope. One definition of gratitude taken from the book Think Like a Monk is “A feeling of appreciation you get when you recognize the value that something is valuable to you.”

Do you know anyone who complains about everything? Nothing is good enough and they always want more? Or what about that person playing the victim about their circumstances? When the world seems like it is against you, try shifting your perspective. Mahatma Gandhi said, “I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet.” It is a matter of how you view your situation and finding the one thing to rejoice about. For each thing we complain about, there are possible ten things we can be grateful for. It is all about where you choose to place your focus and your perspective.

I once found myself in a panic state about something that I did not have available to me at the time. It was as if the world was ending and it was the worst time of my life. After days passed and that feeling of woe continued, it felt empty and lonely. I was not sure how I was going to release that feeling.  So, I had some positive self-talk to stop panicking and regroup. Positive self-talk is powerful because it changes your thoughts, which changes your words and actions. During this self-talk, I realized I needed to be more intentional with the way I handled gratitude. Was I only grateful for the high moments in my life? It was through this period of my life I started seeking the lessons I was supposed to learn from the uncomfortable moments in my life. It is easy to say I am grateful for the goodness in our lives, but if we look at closed doors as a pathway to open doors then we will accept it with calm and ease.

It is strange to think that you can see in the dark, but it is only as dark as you make it. If you refocus your eyes in a dark room it is not as dark as it appeared when you first turned off the lights. And so, when you sit in your dismal situation if you refocus your thinking from what is lacking to what is available, then the outlook is different. When you shift the outlook to being grateful for what you already have the outcome will also change.

Harvard Health Published research on gratitude and found there are many benefits to living with gratitude. Living with gratitude in your life is proven to improve your mental and physical health, you get better sleep, have better relationships, and overall a better attitude about life. During tough times, the best thing you can do is focus on the things and people in your life who bring you joy. There are more things to be grateful for than you can imagine. I encourage you to practice being grateful by making it a part of your daily routine. You can try journaling daily about the things you are grateful for in your life.

I am grateful for my heartbeat!

I am grateful for the opportunity I missed because it left room for the right one!

I am grateful for the beauty I see each day!

I am grateful for the laughter I have in my life!

What are you grateful for?