Gratitude is the Attitude

Gratitude is the Attitude

These are times when a lot of people are unsure of the future and downright scared. The media doesn’t help instill much of a feeling of confidence, either. Like a garden, we tend to get more of what we plant. So, if we’re planting fear in our minds we will get more of it.

I’m not suggesting that we stick our heads in the sand and live in denial that these are difficult times. Hiding from reality just delays the inevitable. I’m suggesting that even while we’re dealing with the daily barrage of negative, we should look for and appreciate the good things that we have in our lives. Of all the tools to combat depression, anxiety, negativity, and physical or emotional illness, gratitude is the most effective – and the easiest – method.

Many people have taken up certain practices like yoga, exercise and better dieting. Gratitude is a practice that we should also cultivate. Just as when you’re reaching for that Twinkie and the little voice in your head tells you that you shouldn’t, there is also a voice in your head who can remind you to be grateful when you’re getting ready to complain about something. Being grateful has healing properties similar to healthy eating and exercise. This has been proven in clinical studies.

Also similar to exercise, the more you practice gratitude, the stronger your gratitude ability becomes. You start to see ways to be thankful more and more in daily situations. You begin to count your blessings and not your problems. As you give thanks for the small things like an open parking spot or the person who holds the elevator door for you, you realize that there are lots of big things to be grateful for also. The ability to come and go pretty much as you please, the freedom to practice your faith, the country you live in and a smile from your child. The list goes on and on.

You can be thankful in some way for almost everything that shows up in your life. This often just requires perspective. It actually becomes a game you can play. When a bad thing is happening, look at it from a different angle until you can see it in some positive light. If you can’t find it, you just haven’t looked hard enough. It’s there.

Any dead fish can float downstream. Swim upstream gracefully. Don’t be preachy about it. Just observe and when it would be easy to complain or gripe about something remind yourself that you’re blessed. You’re reading this right now. You can see. Many people can’t. You’re reading this on a computer. 75% of the planet’s population doesn’t have a computer. Shall I go on? We’re so blessed and we often don’t even recognize it. Recognize it. You’ll be happier and you’ll also bring more blessings to yourself both in business and your personal life. Gratitude is the attitude.