Explore effective methods to cultivate thankfulness. Learn how to practice gratitude with easy steps that enrich your daily life.
How To Live A Life Of Gratitude
Gratitude is an energy that returns to you magnified.
The law of attraction, in its simplest form, states that what you put into this world is what you will get out of it.
Some examples of this are blatant; If you eat junk food every day and never exercise, chances are you will be overweight and ill. If you eat healthy foods, stay fit and take care of yourself, you will look and feel good in return.
The same applies to our spirits. If we think negative thoughts, we will lead negative, difficult lives. If we spread positivity, it will return to bless us.
Likewise, if we live a life of gratitude, we will never run out of things to be grateful for! Here are a few ways gratitude can better your life in the long run with the power of positivity.
How to Practice Gratitude At Home
For most of us, when we are asked to think of something that makes us happy, or something we are grateful for, it turns out that we are not thinking of something but of someone. Our domestic companions are the most important relationships we have.
Whether it’s our parents, our siblings, our partners or spouses- even our pets- home is where the heart is, and the heart is usually in the hands of someone we would die for. But how often do we stop to just say thank you to that person; thank you for being wonderful and for being in our lives?
Too often we are quick to anger; we let negativity in and allow it to consume us. So we fight, and give each other the silent treatment, and sometimes we even want to hurt each other. This is normal, but life could be so much healthier.
Important studies have shown that gratitude shared on a regular basis with someone helps relationships grow, and strengthens them too.
Gratitude betters communication in relationships. It brings us closer to each other and makes us calmer, more understanding and kinder.
Too often families split up and relationships end because one party feels under-appreciated and/ or unloved. Why take the risk? Instead of giving negativity opportunities to enter your life, reaffirm your relationships by being grateful for them.
How to Practice Gratitude Gratitude At Work
Cultivating gratitude in the workplace might not be an easy feat for most. It’s rare that we actually enjoy the jobs we do or like the people we work for. But at the end of the day, working allows us to afford the necessities and indulge in the luxuries. This in itself is something to be grateful for.
Still, it’s hard. Most people who are unhappy in their jobs feel that way because of their bosses. It’s easy to say that gratitude in the workplace is simple, but it’s difficult to accept that if you are never on the receiving end of it.
This is where the law of attraction comes into play. You do not have to be thanked for gratitude to make an impact. You can be the one giving thanks. It has been proven that gratitude is addictive. The more thanks we get, the more thanks we will give and vice versa. Perhaps in your workplace, you have to be the trendsetter!
For the managers: saying thank you to your employees increases productivity and makes for a pleasant work environment. If you are kind to your employees, they will be motivated to work harder, and if they feel that their hard work is truly appreciated, they will continue to work hard.
Gratitude is the simplest, kindest form of recognition. Share it, and you will see a visible difference in the attitudes of your staff. In turn, you will be happier and more relaxed too! It’s a win-win situation.
How to Practice Gratitude With Friends
Isn’t it odd to think that out of the billions of people on this planet, there are a select few designated just to us, that we share our lives with purely because we want to? Friends are special, and they deserve recognition for being awesome.
Showing gratitude makes us more likable, which in turn makes us easier to get along with. This will make your friends happier, which will make you happier, which will make your friends even happier… Gratitude is really a circle of joy.
Studies have shown that gratitude deepens and strengthens relationships and there is no reason why your friends would be excluded from that. Good friends should never be neglected and saying thank you to your friends is a nice way to let them know that you love them and appreciate them. Living a life of gratitude and kindness also makes us more attractive, and opens doors to more friendships too.
This is an important fact because humans are, and always have been, social creatures. We want to be liked. We want to share our time here with others. One way to attract good people into our lives is to be good and gracious to others.
How to Practice Gratitude Gratitude For Health
Gratitude and its impact on our health are the topics of countless studies. The results are almost unanimously positive. Gratitude makes us healthier. Saying thank you probably won’t cure terminal cancer, or serve as an instant pick-me-up to fight off psychological disorders, but the idea is simple enough to understand. If you are grateful for your life and good health, you will live a better, easier life.
Research has proven that gratitude has positive effects on an array of health aspects including insomnia, depression, anxiety, hypertension, stress and stress-induced conditions, pain, heart health, exercise and fitness, trauma, and the immune system. It also increases our energy levels and vitality, and due to the fact that it has given such positive results in so many health areas, most have been led to assume that gratitude increases our lifespan.
The verdict then, is that if you are grateful for your health, you will live healthier and longer!
The same applies to our moods and happiness. Being thankful makes us happy, and when we are happy we have so much more to be thankful for.
Saying Thank You is Easy
What most people tend to forget is that it is just as easy to be unhappy as it is to be happy. Next time you don’t feel so fantastic, and you are angry, depressed, or demotivated, take a minute or two to say thank you.
You can say thank you for something small, like a cup of coffee or advice, or you can meditate on the big things, like love, safety, and friendship. You will feel better. Your mind processes one feeling at a time.
You cannot be unhappy and happy at the same time, so why choose the negative when you can invoke gratitude and happiness instead?
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