How Gratitude Can Change Your Life

Do you often feel that your life isn’t the one that you dreamed of? Maybe you think that a lot is lacking in your life. You don’t own your dream house, you’re not driving a fancier car, your paycheck isn’t that big, and you’re stuck in a job that leaves you exhausted every single day. If this is how you view your life, it’s not surprising that you’re unsatisfied and disappointed. But there’s a way to turn things around and make things better, and that is by changing your attitude. 

How Gratitude Changes Everything

If you can be a bit more grateful for what you have instead of whining about what you don’t, you’ll find that you actually have everything that you need. You see, gratitude changes everything. Look around your home and try to number your reasons to be grateful. You have a roof above your head, your fridge is probably full, or at least there’s food in there, you have electricity and running water, your bed is comfortable, and your AC is working. That’s already a long list of things to be happy about. 

We all have something we want to acquire or achieve. Being grateful for what you have doesn’t mean you’re settling. If you have the means to get a new car and if that decision will make you happier, then go for it. But if you’re still saving up, then be thankful that your current vehicle is running just fine. Living a life of gratitude doesn’t mean you can no longer aspire to have more or be more than what you are now. 

Why Gratitude Is Something That You Ought To Practice

Gratitude is the best attitude to have because you get to appreciate the things that you have at present. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself because of what you don’t have yet, you nurture this feeling of satisfaction and contentment. It does a lot to take away the frustration and envy when you start comparing yourself to your friends. Whenever you feel that you’re starting to feel jealous of your friends’ successes, be happy for them that they are doing well in their lives.

Instead of being envious of others, be inspired by them. Look into what made them successful and then apply what you’ve learned in your own life. Do they have a certain work habit that you can replicate? Maybe they have a strategy for saving up or investing in mutual funds. Don’t be embarrassed to ask your friends how they became successful. You’ll be surprised at how many people are actually willing to teach what they know to others who are genuinely interested. When you have gratitude in your heart, you’ll appreciate your friends better, too. 

How To Practice Gratitude

There are many ways that you can practice gratitude. Start by being more mindful of the thoughts that you entertain. Do you often get annoyed because your computer or your internet connection is so slow? You can tell yourself that at least you’ve got something to use and connect to the online world. Imagine what it would be like if your computer broke down and you don’t have a spare? Then you’d have nothing to use at all. The point here is that when you can’t change your circumstances at the moment because you don’t have the resources to do so, the best thing you can change is your perspective and attitude about it. 

Furthermore, you can practice gratitude daily by keeping a gratitude journal. You can choose to write in the morning or at the end of the day. You can also do it before sleeping so you can recall the things that happen throughout the day and remember the good things that came out of it. It’s not necessary to keep track of everything. You can simply list three things you’re grateful for the day. Where all the traffic lights green when you drove to work? Was your boss in a good mood? Did your coworker offer to help you with a difficult task? These are some of the things that you could be thankful for. 

It won’t be easy to stay positive and grateful all the time. There are instances when life just doesn’t make sense, and we don’t understand why almost everything is not going as planned. But this is the time when you can also practice gratitude the most. Circumstances like this will challenge you to find the silver lining. It may be difficult, but you have to try to remain positive. You know deep inside yourself that everything will turn out fine and it’s not the end of the world. Assess the situation that you’re in and make a list of the things that you can do to make things better. You can then try each of those steps and see what happens.

Final Thoughts

Gratitude is an attitude that all of us ought to nurture. It can tame the many negative emotions that make our days miserable and lonely. When you get the things you want, that’s a lot to be grateful for. If it’s taking some time to make your dreams happen, be grateful still. Be thankful for that anticipation that you’re feeling. You can be thankful for the patience and endurance that you have when it comes to waiting. 

Once you start to practice gratitude in your life, you’ll feel more positive. It’s not to say that nothing will ever get to you or that you’ll be immune to disappointment, frustrations, and envy. But when you know how to be grateful no matter what life presents to you, you’ll be able to ride the waves and find yourself cruising smoothly through each of those circumstances. So try to be more grateful and enjoy the benefits that you can get from it. Start slowly by thinking of three things you’re most grateful for each day. Soon, it will almost be an automatic reaction, and you’re a more positive person than you were yesterday.