5 Ways To Develop Attitude Of Gratitude And Live A Contented Life
A life full of thankfulness is worth living
There are times in your life when you find yourself amidst problems. Numerous challenges you face, nothing goes your way, and you feel life has punched you in the face.
As they say, nothing lasts forever — neither the good times nor the bad times. You have to train yourself to tide over the difficulties by adopting an attitude of gratitude.
Meaning of attitude of gratitude
Gratitude is the feeling of being grateful for all that you have. It incorporates recognition, acknowledgment, and thankful appreciation of the positive things and people in your life.
An attitude of gratitude is a powerful thing, and its effect is felt when you consciously begin to look around, notice things and affirm the goodness around you.
There are many things that you can be grateful for:
- Family
- Job
- Good health
- Friends
- Support group
- Home
- Good finances
If you slow down and reflect on your life, you’ll find many things you are thankful for; they bring you joy, make you feel complete, and come alive.
Why do you need to be grateful
Having an attitude of gratitude helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life and enables you to look for the silver lining during hard times.
You feel cherished and blessed for having so many things going well for you. Expressing gratitude, therefore, calms you down and boosts your happiness. It helps you find meaning in your life and feel more fulfilled.
Also, when you count your blessings and express gratitude, you feel satisfied with your life. You can work better, focus on pursuing your life goals and make efforts to give your best.
Here are five ways to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and live a life of happiness and bliss.
1. See the positives in life
Each day many things happen that you don’t expect. Things don’t pan out the way you visualize; you meet the wrong kind of people. Stuff happens.
However, no one’s life is imperfect.
There are things that are going right in your life, plans materializing, opportunities coming your way, and things working out for good.
It’s not what is but how you see and interpret things, events, and people in your life that makes a difference.
Instead of asking ‘why me?’ take things in your stride and change the lens through which you view life and the people around you. Reframe your thoughts and change the stories you tell yourself.
When you start seeing the positives and acknowledging all that you have been blessed with, you’ll appreciate the good things in your life, and it will turn around your outlook.
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
— Winnie-the-Pooh
2. Focus on what you have
We all want more from life, and in this endless pursuit of ‘more’ we miss what we already have.
Your life may not be picture perfect with all pieces of the puzzle in place, but there’s a lot to feel happy about and rejoice.
“Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot,” goes the Hausa Proverb. If you shift the focus from what’s missing in your life to what is present and take time to express gratitude, you’ll find more calm, joy and happiness in your life.
3. View the bigger picture
You often take things for granted and lose sight of the big picture, forgetting how fortunate you are and how much you have that others lack.
Dwelling in negatives and pity partying won’t get you anywhere. Instead of cribbing, complaining, and whining about the things that you can’t reach, if you see things broadly, you’ll be able to appreciate how well life is serving you.
With a change of perspective and looking at life’s big picture, you will realize how kind life and people are to you.
There are numerous things you will find that you can express gratitude for: how many people have touched your life and made a difference, how much you have benefited from the positive actions and help from others, how things have fallen in your lap without you even trying and how far you have come in life.
4. Look for reasons to celebrate
Life is not about big things; it’s the little moments that make your day and bring positivity and contentment to your life.
Small things can bring you joy — your everyday victories over yourself, the milestones you reached, the incredible experiences you’ve had, the special days, occasions, and people of your support group in your life. There are innumerable things that you can celebrate in your life.
Cultivate the habit of zooming in your life and look for all the tiny but significant things you feel grateful for and want to celebrate. Each day, there will be one small thing that will go your way, one small win, one little thing that makes you happy and make your life worthwhile.
Celebrating meaningful things allows you to connect with the positive side of your life and gives you the strength to carry on. It also keeps hope alive and makes you more mindful of what is going great in your life.
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not but rejoices for those which he has.”
— Epictetus
5. Surround yourself with positive people
In our busy and fast-paced life, we sometimes miss noticing and acknowledging the wealth of people around us who can have a powerful impact on our life.
It pays to slow down and appreciate these people in our life who make us feel warm and pepped up by their positive and vibrant personalities.
Surrounding yourself with such people and interacting with them regularly with help you adopt an attitude of gratitude and stay cheerful.
These people not only have a sunny nature but bring happiness and sunshine to others’ lives as well. They remain happy and cheerful, face life’s challenges with courage and fortitude, and have a positive vibe around them.
In Conclusion
Living in gratitude and having a positive attitude is more than saying ‘thank you.’
It means shifting your mindset from scarcity to abundance and focusing on what you have instead of feeling sorry for yourself about what is missing in your life.
When you live your life in gratitude and practice thankfulness consistently, you operate from a space of contentment. You feel not only good about yourself but also remain happy irrespective of the circumstances you are in.
An attitude of gratitude, therefore, uplifts your spirits, makes you feel empowered, and contributes to your physical and mental well-being.
“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
Originally published at https://www.drroopleen.com
Dr. Roopleen is the author of ‘And So Can You’ and From Average to Awesome
