Gratitude is not a posture it’s a lifestyle
So, what do we know about gratitude? We can start by saying that gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve overall health, deal with adversity, and build stronger relationships!
Now. What do we know about lifestyle? It’s the way in which a person lives. It’s a person’s interest, opinions, and behaviors. Saying yes to things you love and no to the things you don’t! Basically the freedom to live a life that is self-designed.
Let’s tie the two together! Gratitude is not a posture it’s a lifestyle! Its habit and practice that can ultimately change your perception of well-being.
We have so much to be thankful for, yet our lifestyle causes us to be too rushed to pause and cultivate a heart of gratitude. Life is packed with activity of the “we must, we have to, no choice” schedules in life that we become too stressed to see the beauty surrounding us.
Living life with an attitude of gratitude can change everything! Some may remember a time before social media and texting existed. A time when you had to personally meet in person to give a kind thank you, send an email or place an actual phone call. Even a simple thank you card with a hand written message inside. That’s when connection was deep and personable.
As we grew up, many things quickly changed and rushed out the back door. When we begin to falter our lack of thankfulness in the small things, our gratitude for big things are forgotten. Soon we develop a lifestyle of ingratitude as we always see life as something to complain about. Nothing is ever quite right!
Not the food, or our day, not where we live or work or even how we may have spent our time.
There is however a power in a grateful heart that heals and brings joy.
Gratitude can be looked at as a season, like fall that comes far and in between. A lesson, like a father teaching his son to say thank you or even just a moment where you may say a quick thanks to the person who said they liked your shirt.
We should ALWAYS look for ways to say thank you for both the big and small gifts in life.
Practice by trying one or all of the following…..
- Keep a gratitude journal – Begin by listing 5 of the simplest things each night. Increase # later.
- Say “thank you” to the everyday people you have in your life.
- Say “thank you” for the things in your life. Yes Things!!