“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough” Oprah Winfrey
Have you ever thought- what if I could get more from my life?
- Better pay? Better health? More happiness? More comforts?
- Or do you ever think that I was happier earlier?
If yes, then you are missing an important aspect from your life- gratitude!
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is a positive emotion that is quite similar to appreciation. What many people don’t know is that there are a variety of things that can invoke positive feelings of appreciation or gratitude.
When you appreciate little things in life, you will feel a shift in energy from negative to positive. For example, when you experience financial stress, the tendency is to concentrate on the problem and by doing this, we are adding more energy to the problem itself. As a result, the problem becomes huge, however, if you shift your focus on thanking for what you have then you will feel a positive shift within you.
The concept of gratitude has always been a part of human interaction
The language of gratitude dates backs hundreds of years ago. However, the modern life which we live now does not give us a chance to think about anything else and hence, we express less. We all are in a race to get ahead in life. Though we have gained so much from these progressive times, however, the truth is that we have lost a great deal too. It would not be wrong to say that we are far stronger than our ancestors, but are we much happier?
The life back then was much simpler, with no digital platforms; the appreciation was more verbal, physical and heartfelt. Am not saying it’s not there now, but we seldom forget that saying a well-thought Thank you makes a difference instead of half-hearted Thanks. To put it simply, it has become a cold mechanistic world.
Today’s society is more or less governed by the haves versus have-nots. Money has become the most powerful element as it helps us in epitomizing the alluring facets of life like- security, power, and freedom; hence, it’s easy to be ungrateful.
It is normal to get disillusioned when you are unable to get ahead in life even after working so hard. However, if we become grateful for the things we have, it can change our lives. By appreciating every good thing that comes to you or what you already have, you will notice a change in your perspective towards life. In fact, all religions and mystics recommend gratitude as the nectar of life. However, in today’s times, we have simply forgotten about this simple gesture which if practiced can act as a catalyst for success in life.
How gratitude boosts happiness?
It is a powerful force, if used in our everyday lives gratitude can help us in expanding our happiness, improving our health, and creating loving relationships. In fact, it has been proven in many scientific studies that people who consciously focus on gratitude experience improved physical health and better emotional well-being. In a series of studies conducted by Robert Emmons, a leading psychologist, shows that participants who kept a gratitude journal at night, within three weeks it led to less pain, improved sleep, more life satisfaction, lower blood pressure, compassion, and optimism among many other psychological, social, and physical benefits.
In fact, the benefits of gratitude are such that you should make it a ‘way of life’. I have started using it in my daily life and also getting my kids to do it. By doing this I am experiencing a lot of positive changes in my life, am feeling more optimistic, happier, and stronger, am sleeping better, and have more energy. I am now more focussed at work and this has helped me deliver outstanding results.
It’s just that you will have to begin somewhere. You can do it in many ways, like simply appreciating others, being thoughtful about people around you, giving out compliments, giving a hug, keeping a gratitude journal etc. A thing which I have myself started doing is when I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is thank the higher powers for a new day then clap and say “It is going to be a wonderful day today.” I ensure that my kids also say this with me every day. The smiles, feeling of happiness and joy takes over all other things which are running in my mind at that moment.
It’s all about having an attitude for gratitude.
The bottom line is that if you are looking for more happiness, energy in life then gratitude is definitely ‘a must have quality’ that you should cultivate. It makes your heart feel full thus moving you from limitation and fear to love and expansion. When we appreciate something our ego moves out and make a way to connect with our soul. More profound we become in our appreciation, more our life flows in peace and harmony.
I suggest gratitude changes everything – just give it a chance! To begin with, appreciate everyday as many things as you can and see how this brings in positivity in your life. You may keep a log to monitor your progress.
Do tell us what changes you have experienced once you include gratitude in your daily life.