GRATITUDE Can Save Your Attitude!

Having a little trouble with your attitude lately?

Feeling down or short changed in some way?  Depressed or anxious? Angry?

Sometimes all it takes to snap out of this miserable cycle is to practice gratitude.  Are you reading these words right now?  If so – you can start with being grateful for your own eyes!

Being grateful is having a complete lack of expectation.  It is a feeling of content and of being satisfied for the moment, for the things you have and the people in your life regardless of what the moment may lack or what things you may not possess and regardless of the shortcomings of others or yourself. 

Gratitude is a practice as much as it is a feeling.  Do you practice gratitude daily?

Have you ever noticed that one minute you can discover gratitude about something, someone or some circumstance, but in an instant of comparing, wishing, wanting or expecting – the gratitude is quickly lost?   When we compare, wish or want or have expectations, gratitude cannot be fully present.

I wonder how often we let expectations block the way of gratitude. 

Gratitude starts by simply being thankful for the present moment and all its circumstances.  In the present moment I can walk, my health is good, I have food to eat and a roof over my head, my children are happy, the sun is out today, I have hands to type you this message about gratitude and on and on.  The little things that we take for granted are a good place to start.  Those are often the things we overlook when we aren’t in a thankful mood.

Just start with what you do have and forget about what you don’t have!  Stop harping about the things that have not yet or may never come to pass – you will only drive yourself nuts and you will miss the gifts that are present for you in this very moment.

Write it down daily if you need to or just say out loud – “Thank you for….” and state whatever is on your mind.  Even on our worst days there will be things to be grateful for if we only pay closer attention.

The more you practice having gratitude, the less you will feel short changed, sorry for yourself, depressed or down about whatever troubles you.

When I first started practicing gratitude it was difficult and so I would keep a gratitude journal and every night I would write down the things, big or small in the day that I was grateful for.  It’s amazing how many things I could find, even on my worst days when I thought there was nothing.  Now, I just try to say what I am thankful for throughout my day out loud as I become aware.  When I do this, my whole attitude changes.  If I do this in front of others, they too can become inspired to be grateful themselves and it can often squash a “Negative Nelly” or stop a “Mr. Complainy Pants” in his tracks.

What will you do to make gratitude a daily priority?  Think about who besides yourself you can affect by practicing daily gratitude.  Focus your energy on being grateful for what is right and perfect in your life at this moment and put some trust and faith that the rest will come in perfect timing if it is meant to be and as it is meant to unfold.

In gratitude,

Sheri