This week I’ve been thinking a lot about the things I am most grateful for. Even in this very difficult year for all, I am thankful for new blessings that have come into my life.
The truth is that it’s easy to have gratitude when something goes your way, but the real challenge is how to keep a spirit of gratitude when things don’t go your way, while you experience loss or are waiting for the things you’ve been praying for to come to fruition.
When we focus on what we’re grateful for every single day, our joy isn’t delayed until we get what we want. It’s something we can experience now and every day. Gratitude makes what you have enough.
And I can tell you that EVERY time I’ve put more focus on gratitude for what I already have, I am blessed with more.
Here are four easy ways to express gratitude in your day.
Do something unexpected for someone else
The best way to express gratitude for what you have is to look for ways you can be a blessing to someone else. Around this time of year, I always think of the homeless families who are not enjoying a meal in the comfort of their own homes. I also wonder how satisfied they are with the meals at soup kitchens and shelters. While I’m sure the warm meal is appreciated, I can’t help but to think about how they would rather have a home-cooked, soul food dinner with baked mac n’ cheese, collard greens and dressing. If there’s ever a day when you should get an amazing meal cooked with love, it’s Thanksgiving. It breaks my heart to think about those who are without, especially on holidays. So every year after Thanksgiving dinner, I pack up a ton of food and head over to a popular gathering spot for homeless people outside of an over-packed shelter. It reminds me that we are all much more alike than we are different, and I am always blessed by the quick holiday exchange and conversations with a few people who are happy to see me and appreciative of this small act of kindness.
Don’t complain for one week
We are hard-wired to see and highlight the small negatives in life. We complain about traffic, the weather and other simple frustrations more often than we realize. And there’s never a shortage of people willing to chime into the conversation and agree with our issue of the day. What if we didn’t focus on our everyday frustrations for a week? What types of conversations would replace them that could make room for more positive energy in our lives?
Begin and end each day with a mental list of what you are most grateful for
A way to help shift the focus to what’s positive in our lives is to name what we are grateful for. Each morning, I try to think of the small things I’m thankful for and the things I’m looking forward to in that day, like catching up with a friend after work or playing with my daughter after school. Then I think about the people I’m grateful for – my family, friends and co-workers who help make the day more enjoyable. In the evening, I’m more reflective and I think of all of the things that went well in my day. Some days there’s a lot to list, and in harder days, I’m just thankful to be able to end the day with a chance to unwind in my cozy home. Either way, having gratitude for the positive in the day gives less power to what challenges I may have faced, making it easier to get up the next day to start again.
Celebrate someone else’s blessings
It can be very hard to see someone else get the things you so desperately want. No matter how happy you are in life, you can likely think to how someone else is reaching key milestones in their life or career that you are still striving to achieve. It’s only natural to think “when will it be my turn?” or “why hasn’t that happened for me yet?” These are the most difficult thoughts and emotions to manage, but as the saying goes, comparison is the biggest thief of joy. Another approach is to shift your mindset to think “if it can happen for her, it can happen for me too.” You have to believe that are just as deserving and worthy of blessings, and what is meant for you will happen in the timing that is designed for your life. I’m focused on being grateful for what I have and celebrating the blessings of my friends, knowing that God knows my needs and desires in life, and gratitude for today gets me closer to the blessings of tomorrow.
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