Thirty days of thanks was my goal. For an entire month, I challenged my Facebook friends to join me, in sharing a moment of gratitude as our day’s first post. You’d think it would be easy, especially given that it was November, a month when thankfulness is top of mind. But as it turns out, in a world fueled by fear, greed and vanity, gratitude can sometimes be hard to come by.
Every morning we wake up to a fresh batch of catastrophes. From cataclysmic events such as terrorist attacks to unexpected annoyances, like a new zit on the side of our face, life presents us with a myriad of reasons to be irritated and ungrateful. Without even realizing it, we can be sucked into a sea of negativity, complaining about everything that’s going wrong, and missing out on the joy of appreciating all the good that surrounds us.
Which is a real shame, because next to love, gratitude is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It can single handedly enhance our delight and fulfillment in the present, while also changing our perspective on the possibilities of our future. It reduces our stress over what we don’t have, and allows us to see what we do have, as enough. It’s the key ingredient to a happy and content life, but unfortunately, most of us use it only sparingly.
So what’s the solution? Is it possible to add more gratitude in our day when we’re constantly being bombarded by things that stress us out? Absolutely! Here are three ideas to help you get started:
- Take pleasure in the little things. One of the easiest ways to integrate thanks into our every day is to celebrate the simple things: that first cup of morning coffee, a smile shared with a stranger, or a parking space near the door. Giving thanks for the things we often take for granted is a great way to make an attitude of gratitude a way of life.
- Look for the good, even in sucky situations. Our post holiday flight home was cancelled. We could’ve gotten upset, but for what, when there’s nothing we could do to change our circumstances? Instead we decided to relax, and appreciate the extra time to spend with family. Choosing to see the good, despite the circumstances, allowed us to be thankful for what we had, rather than focusing on what we couldn’t control.
- Serve those less fortunate. Whatever issues I think I have, when I walk into a shelter, soup kitchen, or pantry, seem a whole lot lighter when I walk out. That’s what happens when we learn to see the basics as blessings. Our high-class problems quickly shrink into proper perspective, as gratitude gives us a whole new view.
See how easy it is to make an attitude of gratitude a way of life? Okay, maybe not easy, but definitely doable. Listen, life is too short for us to spend our days complaining. Bad things are going to happen. Stuff isn’t going to go our way. We won’t always have everything we want. But in the midst of it all, there’s still something – even if it’s a small something – for which we can be grateful.
Let’s focus there, rather than wasting our words on complaints. In fact – I have a new challenge. Let’s take complaining out of our conversation. Every time we feel ourselves about to voice a complaint, let’s change it into a word of thanks. Find something in our situation for which we can be grateful. It may not take away our hurts or problems, but it will surely change our perspective, granting us more moments of joy along our journey.
Are you with me? Let’s make this next year our best year, by fighting for gratitude, as part of our everyday!
Hugs and Love ❤
Torie Miles says
Yes, “30 Days of Thanks” is much harder than I ever imagined’, but once again I have accepted your invite and I am excited.
Katrina, thank you for highlighting the tips on gratitude the article truly changed my thinking this morning.
Katrina McGhee says
Yay! I’m so glad the blog spoke to your spirit. Thanks for joining us on the gratitude journey. Hugs and Blessings