Welcome to issue #3 in The Art of Living blog series. Better late than never in terms of deciding on the name, right?
Let’s talk gratitude.
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
It’s so easy to focus on the obstacles or negative factors in our lives. Overcoming those challenges is how we will get to the next level, right? While that may be true, it can have a significant impact on your mindset and disposition. I have found tremendous value in stepping back to appreciate all of the things that are positive and potentially being taken for granted in my life. As an American even my darkest days pale in comparison to what others experience living in impoverished nations across the globe. It’s amazing how negative one can get even with all of our basic needs accounted for.
The next time you’re feeling negativity about your life do me a favor: Take a break and shift your focus to something positive. Maybe even write down 3 things you are grateful for per the format below. You’ll be feeling better in no time and likely in a better state of mind to address the challenge that got you feeling down in the first place!
Adopt an attitude of gratitude.
Additional Resources
The Five Minute Journal (or an adaptation of their process) is one of the best tools I’ve found for adopting an attitude of gratitude. Check out the daily question format and some of the science behind the methodology below.
One of the greatest gifts of being human is the ability to choose what to focus on. If you are perfectly calm and still on the inside, you can handle anything. For those of us without Zen training, the best way you can begin your day is through gratitude.
Gratitude, derived from the Latin word gratia (meaning grace, graciousness or gratefulness) eludes easy explanation by academics. Definitions such as “the willingness to recognize the unearned increments of value in one’s experience” look great on term papers but don’t get the point across.
Quite simply, gratitude is the experience of counting one’s blessings.
Even after cutting through the smoke of Law of Attraction-style belief systems, gratitude has shown to be quite transformative in humans ranging from housewives to nursing students.
A 2003 study by Emmons and McCullough found that keeping a daily gratitude journal leads to better sleep, reductions of physical pain, a greater sense of well-being, and a better ability to handle change.
No matter where you are and what your situation is, your focus can be shifted to something positive.
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