GratitudeGratitude is a characteristic that we should all endeavor to cultivate. This falls under the premise of positive thinking by helping us to remain focused on the things we have to be grateful for rather than the negative occurrences and circumstances in our lives. We need to keep our focus on the positive and give less attention to the negative. When we do give our attention to the negative in our lives, it should only be to determine the best way for us to change these negative circumstances. Adopting the age old "Attitude of Gratitude" can be extraordinarily helpful in our quest for happiness. I think almost every one of us has something we can be grateful for. Even those in trying circumstances can find at least a few things to be thankful for. You can begin your day by being grateful for another day to pursue your dreams and goals in life. Merely having another day to live is a gift from God, although under trying circumstances that may seem more like a curse than a blessing, to some people. But life truly is a precious gift to be treasured and savored. All too quickly it's gone. We need to learn to revel in the joy, mystery, wonder and sweetness of life while we still can. Don't waste the most valuable commodity we have – the time to live – being miserable. Take steps to change that now by adopting an Attitude of Gratitude for the gifts that many of us take for granted every day. Be grateful for your eyesight. It enables you to read these words and marvel at the beauty in the world around you. Cherish the joy in a child's smile or the ability to look into a lover's eyes and enjoy the sparkle and passion mirrored there. The world and Universe are filled with countless visions of beauty if we but open our eyes to the beauty and wonder surrounding us. Take into consideration the thousands and thousands of books we have to read. Allow yourself to be awestruck at the beautiful works of art created by the masters, some long dead, which fill museums and our world. All for us to enjoy if we but take the time to do so. Wonder at the fragile beauty of a butterfly's wings or the marvel of flight when you see a bird on the wing. The flowers in our world are not only beautiful, but practically countless in their variations. Most flowers smell quite good, too! Gratitude helps us to stay focused on the positive in life. It's only human for us to take for granted the many gifts that life, the world and the Universe give us to appreciate – free of charge. Most of the people that are happy in life develop the gift of gratitude by giving most of their attention to the positive in life rather than the negative. This is a trick we should all endeavor to learn. How many people do you know that don't enjoy hearing music? Music has the ability to soothe us, excite us, or even move us to such passionate feelings it may bring us to tears. We not only can enjoy music with our ears, but also the song of birds, the soothing sounds of rippling water in a brook, the delight in a child's laughter, or the passion in a lover's sigh. We need to cultivate thankfulness for these and many other things in our lives. This will not only help us to bring more joy and happiness into our lives, but will also help us to become more aware of the great number of gifts life has bestowed upon us that we don't even recognize. Remember that old saying: "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes . . . until I met a man that had no feet!" Focus on gratitude and the positive in life in order to allow yourself to treasure the wonder your life truly is. Your life is a gift from God, but it is up to you to make of it what you will. I refuse to believe that all the beauty surrounding us was merely meant to be nothing more than an elaborate backdrop for suffering! Adopt this attitude for yourself as well. Yes, there is suffering in the world. But I firmly believe we are much more effective at dealing with troubling circumstances when we feel gratitude for all the things that are right in this crazy world we live in. Gratitude helps us to focus on the positive and by doing so take a large step toward happiness. We do this by choosing to focus on all those things we take for granted every day – food to eat, clean water to drink, shelter and heat, our health, clothes to keep us warm, and even a job we may hate. Many people, especially today, don't even have a job. Many people have also lost their homes. If you have someone that loves you, I think you can truly number yourself as one of the lucky people in the world today. Many people suffer the sting of loneliness. It all comes down to the fact that adopting an Attitude of Gratitude keeps us focused on the positive and all the things we do have to be grateful for. It can help us to overshadow the negativity we sometimes face in life and help us to better deal with adversity. Learn to adopt an Attitude of Gratitude and help yourself take a giant leap toward bringing more happiness into your life. Make a list of all the "little" things in life you're grateful for and keep it with you. Read that list every day and see if you can find things to add to it. If you keep a journal, you can review the things you have to be grateful for and write them down in your journal daily. Stay focused on all you have to be grateful for and see if adopting an Attitude of Gratitude helps you to feel happier. I'm sure it will! Gratitude can help us to Think Positive. |