Plain and Simple — Gratitude Works.
Gratitude is more than just being positive. Gratitude is about actively seeking the good that is in our lives. When we actively seek the good, the effects of the negative are reduced. I’m not saying that trials and frustrations are magically taken away. They aren’t. But their effects no longer take center stage.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve been intrigued with the concept of happiness and positivity. After reading several books, learning about self-guided meditation, mantras and the concept of just telling myself I am happy, I had a personal “Ah ha” moment. To find real happiness, I needed to increase my gratitude levels.
Increase Gratitude Levels?
Yes. Increase my gratitude levels. I stopped and took a hard look at myself and my thought process. What I found, I didn’t like. During the day, I was more negative than positive. How was I going to change this? By focusing on Gratitude. When I started to feel frustrated and/or angry with someone or a situation, I trained myself to pause, think of something I was grateful for, and then refocus on what was happening. While this worked to take the edge off of a situation, it didn’t keep me in a grateful state of mind.
That is when I started writing a gratitude list at the end of the day. The act of writing helped me focus on what I was grateful for each day. After a few weeks of writing my list, I began to see a trend. I realized I had another step to take.
Acting on Gratitude.
I needed to act. I needed to not just talk about gratitude, but to actually show more gratitude for the important people in my life. This is where the magic began. As I focused on showing gratitude for my amazing spouse and my wonderful children, I began to see qualities that I hadn’t seen (or forgotten about) before. My gratitude for my family began to increase. I saw an increase in gratitude as I focused on what I was grateful for in other areas of my life: my job, my coworkers, my extended family, my church family and my friends and neighbors. As my gratitude grew, I was less worried about my personal trials and more focused on others. I found I was becoming more positive than negative, and in general, happier.
Gratitude takes Consistency.
However, just like exercise, healthy eating, and successfully completing a project, gratitude takes consistency. I found that if I chose not to take the time to focus on and acknowledge the gratitude I had felt during the day, my gratitude levels would decrease. Since consistency is a habit that has alluded me for much of my life, this was disappointing to me. But I missed the joy that I felt when I focused on gratitude, so I began again. I continued with what I had done in the past, and added new routines as well. One new routine was starting an Instagram account of daily quotes on gratitude, positivity, motivation and inspiration. I love this daily routine. I especially love reading quotes that other instagrammers put out each day. It has been a wonderful way for me to start each day focused on gratitude.
Science on Gratitude.
There are studies on how gratitude affects the brain and changes ones perception on life. If you want to read a textbook with great scientific information on gratitude, dive into the book “The Psychology of Gratitude” edited by Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCulough. It will take you through several different types of sciences and what each science has discovered about gratitude. However, it’s my personal tests that have convinced me that gratitude is a necessity in my life. It helps me through trials, it helps me build stronger relationships, it gives me hope for possibilities to come, and it helps me relax and enjoy my life as it is.
I am now a gratitude junky. I love acknowledging what I am grateful for each day. I also love to hear what others are grateful for. It is an amazing world. If you have time, please take a few moments to share how gratitude affects your life. I’d love to hear your gratitude story.
