Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty – Doris Day
It’s a Habit!
Gratitude is not a feeling; it’s a habit. The daily choice to live a grateful life starts by appreciating the little things we often overlook. James Allen says, “No duty is more than the giving of thanks.” When we are grateful, our lives become purposeful. Our hearts become fuller and we see life differently. Gratitude is an infuser. I keep a gratitude journal. Every day, I write a few words that express something I am grateful for. On some days, I am simply thankful that I am alive. That infuses me with a different perspective and attitude for the day. Gratitude requires intentionality, noticing what we often take for granted, and showing our appreciation. This means opportunities to be thankful must be sought after. We tend to get stuck in the muck and mire of negatives, but with gratitude, we can pull ourselves out. Using gratitude, we can retrain our minds to view life from a better vantage point. The pursuit of gratitude keeps us evergreen in the ups and downs of life.
Staying Evergreen
Have you heard of evergreen trees? Their leaves grow all year round, including the winter months. They endure adverse climates and maintain their foliage. Graduating in gratitude means you maintain a consistent attitude of thankfulness year-round in the ebbs and flows of life. There are several benefits to evergreens that parallel the benefits of gratitude.
An evergreen tree improves the air quality. They filter air particles and use carbon dioxide to grow and emit oxygen all year round, which reduces air pollution. Second, evergreens provide windbreaks by keeping away harsh winds that can destroy property. Third, since they maintain their leaves, they keep the environment colorful. Similarly, gratitude keeps away pollutants such as complaining, grumbling, and anger, which can lead to health issues if they persist. Gratitude, according to health experts, improves our quality of life. Two psychologists performed a study where participants were divided into two groups. They asked the first group to write about things they were grateful for. They asked the second group to write about things that aggravated them. After ten weeks, they reported that “those who wrote on gratitude were more optimistic, felt better about their lives…they also exercised more and had fewer physician visits than those who focused on sources of aggravation.”
Gratitude keeps away the harsh winds of complaining from destroying our lives.
Gratitude turns you into a perennial giver. Gratitude and stinginess cannot co-exist. One of the signs of a genuinely grateful person is generosity. Their generosity is not affected by the contradictions of life because it is a core value they have cultivated. With this core value under their belt, they constantly look for small and big ways to improve other people’s quality of life. They are selfless. This character trait makes them attractive to anyone they interact with. Their gratitude-dripping words and actions create a ripple effect.
What words and actions can you apply today to express gratitude?
This Month
We will journey together to understand how gratitude is a critical piece to better thinking and living. Here is the roadmap:
- Greening with Gratitude (Today’s post)
- Growing through Gratitude (November 9th)
- The Gratitude Challenge (November 16th)
No Posts on November 23rd and November 30th. Blog post releases will resume on December 7th.
Final Thought: As the year draws to a close, keep in mind that an exiguous amount of gratitude goes a long way in changing your perspective. Gratitude flips the switch in your mind from focusing on the negative to the positive. This is a life-changing switch. Since gratitude starts with a personal decision, how can you stay evergreen with gratitude?
Keep on Keeping on!
Notes
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
Discover Your Treasure 