Do you struggle with gratitude and thankfulness in your everyday life?
Many do.
I have to be intentional with my gratitude to keep my outlook positive. I spiral into negativity far too easily.
I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.
Will Arnett
I’ve found starting each day with gratitude helps my brain see the good in each day. Is it easy? No. But I’ve found, for me at least, it’s necessary for a happy life.
When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.
Kristen Armstrong
Here are some tricks that help me most of the time.
View your to-do list as your “get to do” list
What this means is reframing your daily tasks. I don’t have to work on a client’s website; I get to work on my client’s website. I’m privileged to work from home and grow my business on my terms. I’m blessed to get to use the internet, versus pounding the pavement as we used to do.
Yes, that makes me sound old. It’s still true.
Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.
Doris Day
Note what improves your frame of mind and increases gratitude
I can’t tell you what that is for you. For me, it’s a combo of a few things.
- Good music
- Inspiring podcasts
- Reading and meditating on inspiring quotes
- Looking at beautiful artwork
Once I realized this, I changed my mornings.
Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
Robert Brault
I started my days with some of each of those things. I wake up with a shorter, uplifting podcast while I have coffee. Then I walk on the treadmill with wonderful music. I follow up with some quotes that encourage me. Finally, I love looking at the art and design of others online.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Tecumseh
This is so much better than my earlier morning agenda.
- Wake up,
- check Facebook,
- have coffee,
- complain to myself about not having enough time to do whatever offends me today.
(Note: if checking Facebook helps you start the day with a positive frame of mind, go for it. I find it drags me down, but your results may vary).
What puts you in a great mood: music, podcasts, people, inspiring quotes, artwork? Make that part of your morning.
In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.
Dietrich Bonhoffer
Pick three things to be thankful for today
Next up, I consider three things that I’m going to be thankful for today. This can include anything on my get to do list, or something relating to the podcasts and music I just listened to. I just make a note of three things I’m thankful for, and I list them off whenever I feel irritation coming on.
That’s not to say it’s wrong to ever be upset. It’s not. It’s natural and normal.
Our emotions are part of life.
What I am saying is this. If you stay in that state of being perpetually crabby, complaining, and annoyed, you’re going to be miserable, and so is everyone around you.
Acknowledge when things suck. Then look to positives that share space with the negatives. And give thanks.
Use a gratitude journal to remind yourself what you’re thankful for and rehearse those good things in your life when you’re feeling down. It really does help.
