Gratitude - The miracle attitude for Success
One of the most energizing things you can do when you are feeling down, is to make a list of all the things you are thankful for. Paradoxically, it is especially helpful when you feel that you don't have anything to be thankful for! The list can include everything from food, shelter, clothing to family, friends, career, pets, weather, democracy, health, intelligence, hope, love, wealth, freedom, children, hobbies, beautiful things.. You can also include things like the comfortable chair you sit on, the fresh air you breathe, the life that lies ahead of you and behind you, the very fact that you are alive, the earth, the skies, the sea, the stars, the rivers and mountains, the flowers, the ability to smile, the stranger who threw admiring glances at you in the mall, the empty parking slot, the loyal husband, the friends who mail you even though they stay in a different country, google ;) ,chocolates............... Too many things to be thankful for!
Keep writing till you get at least 20 things. Probably you will get a whole lot more, but make sure you get at least 20. While saying you are thankful for someone, don't just say "I am thankful for Joe". In stead, think about all of Joe's good qualities, and what makes you thankful to him. Do the same for your home, office etc as well. As you do this, you will find yourself becoming calmer, happier and fulfilled. You will be more appreciative of the little things, and your stress will melt away... Here are 7 reasons why Gratitude is a miracle attitude for success.
It helps us feel positive:
This is probably a no-brainer. Gratitude puts us in a positive frame of mind. When we count our blessings, we feel blessed. We begin to see the perfection of the bigger picture rather than the flaws in the trivials. A positive outlook on life emerges. We will start enjoying life more.
It is a stress-buster:
Realising you have a lot going for you will calm you down. Your stress level drops. You can feel yourself erupting into a smile, and relaxing yourself. You won't be complaining or worrying so much anymore.
It shows us new opportunities:
When we realize what we do have in our bag, we will start putting them to better use. Gratitude shows us the resources around and inside us that we had forgotten, and awakens fresh possibilities. After all, if you are grateful for how detail-oriented you are, you can atleast put it in your resume right? Also, realizing your natural talents and the positive aspects of your environment will help you tap into them better. The next time you need a talent/resource, you will know where to find it!
It is good for health:
Yes! Feeling grateful for so many things will relax and refresh you, leaving your body with all the benefits of a good meditation. Stress-related illnesses can be combatted this way. Your mental well-being will reflect on your physical well-being. Taking some time out and getting relaxed can do wonders to you, especially in the crazed pace of living we have.
It improves relationships:
We tend to take the ones close to us for granted. Sad, but it is true that we are more considerate of the feelings of strangers than that of our own family. When we count the blessings of each person close to us by saying we are grateful for how caring, loving, passionate, enthusiastic, kind, warm, friendly, understanding and/or non-judgmental they are, we begin to appreciate them more. And when we appreciate them more, our behaviour towards them will reflect it, resulting in better relationships.
It improves our self-image:
When we see everything we are good at and everyone who loves us, we will begin to feel more confident. We will stop thinking we are inadequate and worthless. We will feel refreshed and happy. We will take pride in our accomplishments. Our self-esteem gets better. Our self-doubts and negative self-talks start to fade away.
It helps us receive even more blessings:
When we adopt a grateful frame of mind, the Universe keeps giving us more things to be grateful for. I have experienced this personally. Whenever I count my blessings, things start to get even better for me. The positive vibrations we give out as we say our thanks will generate even more positive things in our lives. As the saying goes, anything you put in the Universe will come right back to you. An attitude of acceptance and abundance creates even more abundance in our lives.
But don't take my word for any of it. Start counting your blessings, and experience all these for yourself!
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