COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!

START BRINGING GRATITUDE IN EVERY MOMENT INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE TO FEEL GRATEFUL

Our everyday problems and challenges of life force us to keep dwelling upon what is wrong in our life. One of the easiest and fastest way to feel happy and stay in high spirits is to express gratitude. Gratitude means thankfulness, noticing simple pleasures, counting our blessings as well as acknowledging whatever we have. Expressing gratitude is a very effective way to interrupt depression, anxiety and anger. It immediately shifts our attention from unproductive and unwanted thoughts to constructive thinking patterns. It shifts our focus from the deprivation towards abundance. Being grateful for what we have uplifts our mood and changes or perspective towards our problems as well as life. Additionally, conveying gratitude and thanks, makes a person happier as well as help in strengthening relationships, improves health, and reduces stress.

Appreciate Simple Gifts

We usually take it for granted that all the good things that we already have in our lives was supposed to be with us by default.  Hence, our focus is always on what we do not have and forget about all the wonderful blessings that god has bestowed on us. Once, we start being grateful for what we already have, we somehow begin to appreciate the simple pleasures and things that we previously took for granted. Gratitude teaches us to constantly find goodness even in the adverse situations.  Practicing simple ways of expressing gratitude creates more happiness in our lives.

For instance, remember to say thank you when someone performs a simple gesture like opening a door. When we find more opportunities to be grateful for, we feel better about life at the end of the day. The effect of gratitude is contagious and when we show it to others, it will mirror back to us instantly. Try and see it yourself!

Every day, try to find a reason to thank the most significant people in our lives, our family. The more thankful and grateful we are for our family, the more they would reflect it back to us. Gratitude can create a state of happiness explosion that fills every room of the house. We should remember to always thank children for doing their chores. This recognizes their small and precious efforts and in turn models polite behavior. It also makes them more confident and they would appreciate us more.

How do we start?

We should try to start a new day by expressing gratitude and saying “thank you” for minimum three things that we have. It could be as simple as a great cup of tea or good health, job, parents, friends, house, car, this life. It could be anything which makes a person feels happy and grateful. Take a moment and feel the appreciation while being thankful. Establishing an attitude of gratitude once we begin our day makes our day full of happiness and joy.

When the situation is not favorable, flip the coin and find three things in that situation for which one should be honestly grateful. This could be being grateful for a doctor at times of ill health or having some savings when one is jobless. This may not be very easy, but finding the good in every situation keeps us motivated to move on. After all, circumstances could have been much worse.

When one finds himself or herself in negative self-talk, one must stop and find at least three things for which they should be thankful. Interrupting the destructive self-talk and being grateful for whatever we have, builds up self- confidence.

The most common method practiced to develop an attitude of gratitude is to maintain a gratitude journal. We must write down at least three things for which we are grateful for in life. It could be done as the first thing in the morning or the last thing when one goes off to sleep or whenever comfortable.

So, start bringing gratitude in this moment instead of waiting for something to happen in the future to feel grateful. This will help us to become a master of gratitude. I'm so grateful to my mind, body and my computer that I could write this article! What are you grateful for??