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Attitudes and Gratitude
Attitudes and Gratitude
"Gratitude turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,
confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a
house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes
sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a
vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie
Once with a group of women, we were discussing why it is
that some children who seem to "have it all" are pleasant
and friendly while others become spoiled. After sharing our
stories, we drew the conclusion that the difference rests in
the attitude and teachings of the parents. Some children
"expect" to have certain things, and they soon become
spoiled and unwavering. Other children remain thankful and
appreciative.
Think of adults you know that fit these descriptions. Whom
do you know who has a chip on their shoulder or feels the
world owes them something? Whom do you know who greets each
discovery with appreciation? It is easy to guess who is
happier and more fulfilled.
Developing a thankful attitude, goes a long way toward
developing a more resilient and appreciative self. Here are
a few ideas for spreading the attitude of gratitude.
Think about the whole process. When you receive anything, be
it a child's drawing or an expensive purchased gift, focus
on how much time, effort, and thought went into the gift.
Taking the time to realize how much work, caring, and
thought a person has given you is a wonderful way to deepen
your appreciation of both the giver and the gift.
Realize each day is a gift. There are so many things that we
take for granted. Many times we don't realize how much we
actually take for granted until tragedy strikes. For
example, I always enjoyed my brother and never imagined we
would lose him at age 27. It wasn't until after this tragedy
that I learned each day and each moment we have is a
precious gift. Don't be wasteful or unappreciative of these
moments.
Lower your expectations. I knew a woman who felt that she
had such a series of bad luck that the world surely owed her
something. I couldn't stand being around her; she complained
about everything. If it rained, it seemed the sky was out to
get her. When we quit expecting the world (or people) to
give us things, we can become more focused on enjoying the
gifts that do come our way.
Sarah Ban Breathnach in her best-selling book, Simple
Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, advocates the use
of a gratitude journal. She cites this as "a tool that could
change the quality of your life beyond belief." I completely
agree. The premise of the gratitude journal is to record
five things that you are grateful for each day. Some days
you might have to be creative to find five. Other days you
might have ten or twenty! Value the little things. Value the
person who sincerely smiled and asked how you were at the
grocery store checkout. Value the soft touch of a child's
hand on your shoulder. Value a new song that you hear on the
radio.
Create your own gratitude journal and list five things that
you are grateful for each evening. Notice how this deepens
your appreciation for life and helps to maintain a positive
outlook. You may also want to start a "Family Gratitude
Journal" where each night you think of five things that you
are grateful for as a family.
About the Author
Brook Noel is an international best-selling author and has
written over 10 books. Her newest book The Change Your Life
Challenge: A 70 Day Life Makeover Program for Women has
helped thousands of women improve relationships, finances,
home management, self-esteem, fitness, self-care, stress and
depression you can visit the website at
http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com/.
Written by: Brook Noel
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