Being grateful all the time isn’t easy. But it’s when you least feel thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: perspective. Gratitude can transform any situation. It alters your vibration, moving you from negative energy to positive. It’s the quickest, easiest most powerful way to effect change in your life — this I know for sure. ~ Oprah Winfrey
What’s one small shift in behavior that can change everything?
Making gratitude a part of your everyday routine.
If you want to reduce stress, make the people you come in contact with feel happy and energized, and become a virtual magnet for love, success and happiness, gratitude can get you there. I guarantee it.
Getting started is as simple as finding small ways to celebrate the things you’re grateful for. The more emphasis you put on the good things, the less time you’ll spend thinking about what you don’t have.
When you give the positive things in your life more weight than the negative, you put a powerful energetic shift in motion. And it just takes a few minutes each day.
5 minutes of thankfulness…
Wayne Dyer had this wise recommendation -“Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. This five-minute-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you to focus your life in awe.”
The best way I can think of to incorporate 5 minutes (or more) of thankfulness into each day is to make it a part of something you already do.
Here’s an example. If you go to the gym each day – while you’re there, give thanks for your healthy, strong body; for the familiar faces around you; for the fact that you have the time and resources to exercise regularly; for your jazzy workout gear; for the refreshing hot shower and fluffy towels after your workout. Once you start, you’ll find so many things to be grateful for!
Personally, I link my gratitude practice to my garden and my students. If I’m home, I activate a cascade of gratitude while I tend to my garden. I appreciate the trees, plants, and flowers that surround my home, the sun on my back, and the fact that my family (Brian, Maisy and Boo-Radley) has such a safe and lovely place to live. When I’m hosting workshops and demonstrations, I acknowledge how blessed I am to be able to visit interesting places and spend time with amazing people –all while doing the work that I love. Wherever I am, and whatever I’m doing, I never forget to send a silent prayer of thanks to the universe.
Gratitude attracts more of the good things – to you and everyone around you!
Attitudes are contagious, so be mindful of who you spend time with.
Have you ever known someone who can only talk about the negative, incessantly complaining about their friends, their job, their spouse, or the sad state of the world. Before you know it, you’re commiserating and adding your own gripes and grievances to the mix. Sure, it can be satisfying to vent, but when most of your time with a friend is spent complaining, you’re likely to walk away from that encounter feeling drained and discouraged.
On the other hand, when you’re with someone who radiates light and positivity, you naturally find yourself sharing positive stories and looking on the bright side, even when you’re no longer in their company. The powerful energy of a happy, thankful person sticks with you and makes you feel good – so choose to spend as much time as possible with these grateful souls – and share the good vibes!
Make a date with Gratitude.
Ready to feel the life-changing effects of gratitude? Make it a priority by putting it on your to-do list, or scheduling time on your calendar. Pencil in a few minutes of thankfulness every day for a month, and go one step further by setting up lunch or coffee with someone who embraces gratitude and makes you feel good. Share your “gratitude plans” with that person, and let them know that you’re blessed to have them in your life.
These insights will put you on the road to a life filled with positivity and gratitude. It won’t take long before you see how focusing on what you’re thankful for attracts even more happy thoughts and wonderful things.