I'm grateful for YOU!
Posted on April 26, 2022 by Lois Lavrisa , One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
5 easy ways to practice gratitude: do one or two, or do them all - it’s up to you.
If you are at all like me, I have days when I feel down or unfulfilled. And I need to work through this as well as any of the many difficulties in life.
How do I do that?
Of all the tips, tricks and strategies I’ve read about, there seems to be one key element present in all of them: practicing gratitude.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”—Anonymous
Why gratitude?
Countless studies say that practicing gratitude (having an attitude of gratitude ) physically changes your brain and boosts happiness.
Here are 5 easy ways to practice gratitude: do one or two, or do them all – it’s up to you.
- 1. Halt Comparisonitis
We all do this, compare ourselves to other people. How we stack up, what we see others doing, saying, having… then feel bad about ourselves.
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt.
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”—Epictetus
Stopping comparisonitis is essential for our mental health and our joy. Try to look at, and appreciate, all that you have rather than what you do not have.
- 2. Take one little step
Take one tiny step in your gratitude practice: when you get up in the morning and before you head to bed at night, focus on one thing/person/event/etc… that brings/brought you joy. Then fill your heart with gratitude.
“Small steps lead to big changes” Jack Canfield
- 3. Jot it down
Why not write what you are grateful for? It has been proven that writing something down is a surefire way to better remember it, so why not remember all the good that is in your life?
Jotting down your gratitudes will also let you reflect on and affirm all that is good in your life.
- 4. Lend a helping hand
Doing something nice and showing kindness to someone else can brighten your mood as well as bring someone else joy. Use your talents, abilities, or whatever else you offer. And it doesn’t have to be any more than a smile or a friendly word.
“Kindness is universal. Sometimes being kind allows others to see the goodness in humanity through you. Always be kinder than necessary.”― Germany Kent
- 5. Practice Daily
To form a habit, we need to do something daily and with consistency.
Studies have shown that, on average, it takes two months to sixty-six days to form a habit. How does that apply to you having an attitude of gratitude?
“Happiness is a habit—cultivate it.” -Elbert Hubbard
Keep looking for what you are thankful for, note the best things around you, give as much of your good energy and talents to the people around you as you can.
“Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”—William Faulkner
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”—William Arthur Ward
Yesterday, today & always, I’m grateful for you, Lois:)
