Attitude Of Gratitude: Empowering Habits You Should Live By (Infographic)

Attitude Of Gratitude: Habit Formation Phases (Infographic)

Attitude Of Gratitude: Developing The Habits Of Gratitude (Infographic)

Attitude Of Gratitude: Practicing Gratitude In Your Daily Life (Infographic)

Reaping the Benefits of a Gratitude Journal

It might seem like a pipe dream that writing in a journal could be so beneficial. But the scientific evidence is in, and gratitude journals do benefit you in big ways if you keep one for the long term and use it daily. 

 

Experience Stronger and More Fulfilling Relationships

 

It’s so simple, but it can be hard to accept. You are the one who makes yourself happy with your own choices. Another person cannot make you happy or grateful. Only you can do that. But something amazing happens when you express gratitude often - your relationships simply open up and become better. Those that don’t, you start to recognize for what they are and let them go.

 

Become Physically Healthier 

 

Being grateful for the ability to move and breathe will eventually cross over into wanting to ensure that you can always do that. Therefore, you’ll be more motivated to go on walks, eat right, stay hydrated, and live in gratitude for every aspect of your life.

 

Increase Your Mental Dexterity 

 

The ability to take lemons and turn them into that sweet, delightful state drink of Arizona can be gained by keeping a gratitude journal. The main reason is that you will learn on even a bad day to pick out the good in it. That requires a good imagination and creativity and thinking on your feet. 

 

Feel Less Aggression in Your Life

 

It’s hard to feel aggressive if you are happy and grateful. It’s okay to be angry about injustices in the world without being aggressive. But if you feel angry a lot due to your life, it’s really due to not finding the things to be grateful about. There is almost always something for most people. 

 

Act and Become More Empathetic 

 

As you write more and learn to forgive yourself as you seek to fill your mind with thoughts of gratitude, you will start seeing others differently. You’ll have more ability to put yourself in their shoes and see things from their way without judgment. It happens when you learn to forgive yourself.

 

Get More Restful Sleep 

 

If you’re not anxious but go to sleep each night feeling thankful for everything you’ve experienced (or at least most of it), it’s easier to sleep because you have less anxiety. 

 

Get More Done Every Day

 

Due to feeling more rested, less stressed, and more grateful, you’ll have a lot more energy to get things done every day. That’s always going to make you feel even more thankful because good things happen due to productivity.

 

Feel Better about Yourself 

 

You can’t help but feel better about yourself when you have improved so many good qualities about yourself. Your self-esteem will go up when you express gratitude for what your mind and body can do for you.

 

If you want to be happier, get more done in life, and experience real joy in life, a gratitude journal can be the way to achieve it. The guiding thing to remember is that your thoughts cause your feelings, and you are the one in control of the actions you take once you accept your feelings. Accepting that you do have control is half the battle, and your journal will make it clear that you do. 

5 Ways To Appreciate Yourself More

It's often more challenging to see what we're doing right than what we're doing wrong. Even reflecting on our admirable characteristics makes some of us nervous. 

Appreciation and compliments can make us uncomfortable, and we sometimes don't know how to react without appearing self-conscious. 

 

So, how can we positively appreciate our great traits? I suppose the key is self-compassion, which entails treating oneself with compassion, a feeling of shared humanity, and consciousness when we evaluate our apparent shortcomings – but differently. I prefer to refer to it as "self-appreciation."

 

According to LifeHack, "To love yourself is to experience freedom – freedom from doubt, self-hate, and oppression created by you. To love yourself is no longer holding yourself back from what you deserve. To love yourself is to grow and enjoy your life. Self-love is a necessity if you want to live a comfortable life. Self-love is a choice, a commitment to yourself that you will love yourself, despite all the social and biological obstacles in your path. It is not found in a place, person, or item." 

 

5 Ways To Appreciate Yourself More

1. Decide To Do It

 

Self-appreciation is a decision you have to make yourself; it is not bestowed upon you. It is not found in another person or an item. You get self-appreciation by choosing what you desire. It would be best if you decided to let go of this toxic thinking after a lifetime of loathing yourself for not being enough.

 

Say no to all of your internal self-hatred and tell yourself the truth: you are not perfect, and that is good. Begin by giving yourself license to appreciate yourself more. Even if you convince yourself otherwise, you are deserving of more appreciation. 

 

Take time to tell yourself this and permit yourself to enjoy yourself. This is the first step in acknowledging the reality that you can appreciate yourself.

2. Check Your Negative Beliefs

 

Disrupt mental patterns that are solely focused on failures and defects. When it comes to self-esteem, our subconscious is not always on our side. 

 

It takes time and effort to educate your mind into healthy habits, but the first step is to recognize the falsehoods it tells you:

 

●   Recognize that feeling like a loser does not imply that you are a failure.

●   Examine the evidence to support your findings. Even though the negative thought spiral makes it feel that way, a friend not replying to your text does not indicate they dislike you.

●   Recognize that good happening merit your attention as well. One negative comment should not deter you from appreciating positive feedback.

3. Compassionately React To Your Blunders And Setbacks

 

You don't have to berate yourself for every blunder. According to research, reacting to your own mistakes with compassion boosts your self-esteem and makes you a more competent and resourceful individual. Fight back against the inner critic who distorts reality:

 

●   There are hardly any things in life that are "all or nothing." Even if things did not go as planned, it does not imply that nothing good came from it.

●   One setback does not define you for the rest of your life.

●   Call that feeling of pessimism into question by reminding yourself, "Things didn't go my way, but that doesn't indicate they always will. I can't foresee the future."

 

4. Let Go Of The Perfection Ideology

 

You will never be flawless; no person will ever be. Don't allow this to prevent you from appreciating yourself. It's easy to despise oneself for not being perfect or sufficient. 

 

However, this leads to self-hatred since you focus on what you do not have rather than what you do have—self-appreciation blossoms in a great attitude, which requires you to appreciate what you have. In a worldview founded in perfection, dubbed "never good enough," your ability to understand yourself suffers, fades, and dies.

5. Learn To Say No

 

Instead of overcommitting, prioritize your personal needs. Respect your boundaries and learn to decline obligations that aren't worth the stress. The unthinking "yes" in answering any request is a sort of "people-pleasing" action that prioritizes everyone else's interests before your own.

5 Tips for Having Difficult Conversations with your Partner

You love your partner, but sooner or later, a tough conversation needs to happen. While this is normal, (after all, what relationship doesn’t have its bumps along the way) how you handle those conversations will determine whether you come away from this particular conflict with a stronger appreciation for each other. This is why it’s so important to handle difficult conversations well. 

 

How do you ensure you engage in the best conversation possible in these circumstances?

 

Start with Not Putting Off the Talk Longer than Necessary

 

Take time to count to ten or to take a few deep breaths before beginning. After all, starting with too much emotion will be more damaging than helpful. Once you’re cooled down though, it’s time to talk. Why is it better sooner rather than later? By putting things off, you tend to build up resentment and inflate the conflict. It’s important to address situations before they get out of hand. A small problem today is much easier to solve than a giant one several weeks from now.

 

Drop the Good News / Bad News Approach

 

No one likes waiting for the other shoe to drop, so instead of giving the compliment with a ‘but’ lurking to negate everything you’ve just said, just come out and say the bad news first. If you’re determined to add in the compliment, do so after the bad stuff is out of the way, so you leave the person on a more positive note.

 

Plan Your Conversation

 

Rather than blindside your partner with an uncomfortable discussion, let them know you have something you want to talk about. Make it clear you’re wanting to discuss something that affects your feelings, rather than starting out in an attack. There’s a vast difference between, “I’d like to talk to you sometime about your drinking” vs. “I’d like to talk to you about how I feel when I see you drinking so heavily.” 

 

What Are Your Goals?

 

In any heavy conversation, you need to agree at some point on common goals. Working toward the same thing will help you find your way through the conversation to that eventual place.

 

Keep a Positive Spirit

 

Aim for optimism. Even if the conversation isn’t going how you would like it to, finding something to hope for will soften the outcome no matter what. 

 

Difficult conversations are just that: Difficult. But having a plan in place will help you to get through them. Use these steps to build the framework of your conversation, and even if the outcome is bad, getting there won’t be as difficult as you think. 

 

Top Tips for Resolving Conflicts in Your Relationships

No matter how much you like the other person, at some point, conflict is likely to happen. While most conflicts are fairly small (like trying to decide where to go out for dinner), left untended a conflict can fester and grow. That’s why it’s so important to resolve conflicts in your relationships before they have a chance to take on a life of their own.

 

How do you go about doing that?

 

1. Start by listening. But don’t just listen to the spoken words, but the feelings behind them. It’s the emotions that drive the conversation after all! By listening actively, meaning pausing to ask questions, clarify, and to reiterate what you think the other person is saying, you tell the other person that what they have to say matters. But more importantly, you’re letting them know that they’re being heard.

 

2. Look for the resolution over being right. Giving up the notion that you have to ‘win’ is where you start seeing the solutions. Conflict is not a competition.

 

3. Stay in the moment. Instead of focusing on what happened that brought you into this conflict, pay attention to what’s going on right now. Now isn’t the time for blame. Rather look for solutions.

 

4. Decide what’s important right now. That is called ‘picking your battles’ and is important in determining whether a thing is worth fighting over. Ask yourself if this is just an issue over a minor annoyance that will be easily forgotten, or if you have something deeper going on that maybe needs to be addressed.

 

5. Know how and when to disengage. That means being able to do what it takes to walk away. It might be forgiveness is in order. It might be that you’re just going to need to agree to disagree. Worst case scenario? It might be time just to let the matter go entirely. Whatever the case, there’s nothing to be gained by staying in the conflict. 

 

Resolving conflicts isn’t a hard skill to learn. By following these tips, you will discover how better to deal with conflict in every kind of relationship – whether business or personal. So, take heart – a misunderstanding doesn’t have to mean the end of the world. Instead look at your conflict as a step toward better understanding that will, in turn, lead to better relationships in the long run.

 

5 Tips for Having Difficult Conversations with your Partner

You love your partner, but sooner or later, a tough conversation needs to happen. While this is normal, (after all, what relationship doesn’t have its bumps along the way) how you handle those conversations will determine whether you come away from this particular conflict with a stronger appreciation for each other. This is why it’s so important to handle difficult conversations well. 

 

How do you ensure you engage in the best conversation possible in these circumstances?

 

Start with Not Putting Off the Talk Longer than Necessary

 

Take time to count to ten or to take a few deep breaths before beginning. After all, starting with too much emotion will be more damaging than helpful. Once you’re cooled down though, it’s time to talk. Why is it better sooner rather than later? By putting things off, you tend to build up resentment and inflate the conflict. It’s important to address situations before they get out of hand. A small problem today is much easier to solve than a giant one several weeks from now.

 

Drop the Good News / Bad News Approach

 

No one likes waiting for the other shoe to drop, so instead of giving the compliment with a ‘but’ lurking to negate everything you’ve just said, just come out and say the bad news first. If you’re determined to add in the compliment, do so after the bad stuff is out of the way, so you leave the person on a more positive note.

 

Plan Your Conversation

 

Rather than blindside your partner with an uncomfortable discussion, let them know you have something you want to talk about. Make it clear you’re wanting to discuss something that affects your feelings, rather than starting out in an attack. There’s a vast difference between, “I’d like to talk to you sometime about your drinking” vs. “I’d like to talk to you about how I feel when I see you drinking so heavily.” 

 

What Are Your Goals?

 

In any heavy conversation, you need to agree at some point on common goals. Working toward the same thing will help you find your way through the conversation to that eventual place.

 

Keep a Positive Spirit

 

Aim for optimism. Even if the conversation isn’t going how you would like it to, finding something to hope for will soften the outcome no matter what. 

 

Difficult conversations are just that: Difficult. But having a plan in place will help you to get through them. Use these steps to build the framework of your conversation, and even if the outcome is bad, getting there won’t be as difficult as you think. 

 

Simple Ways to Add Gratitude into your Daily Life

Have you ever read articles about how people like Oprah or Tony Robbins start their day? They claim the practice of gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to change your life, and they are living proof. Keeping a gratitude journal is an excellent way to start noticing and counting your blessings. It’s simple, yet powerful. 

 

But there’s no need to stop there! 

 

There are many ways to add the practice of gratitude into your life so that you stay focused on appreciating all the amazing things you have in your life. Here are a few simple ways to add more feelings of gratitude in your life, starting now.

 

• Compliment a stranger—how many times have you admired someone’s haircut or blouse, but not complimented them on it? Start today!

• Let someone ahead of you in line—remember how it feels when you have one item, and all the people in front of you have a shopping cart full? Guess what? Everyone feels that way. The next time you get the opportunity, let that person go in front of you.

• Avoid negative media—it’s tough to stay focused on all the goodness around you when you allow all the negative news in the world to play in front of you every day. Find positive TV, movies and other media to watch instead.

• Cherish your friends—when was the last time you told your BFF how much you appreciate them being in your life? Not because of anything they’ve done, but just for loving and supporting you throughout your life’s journey.

• Listen deeply—so often, when we listen to someone talk we are rehearsing what we want to say next. Notice how often you do that and practice listening intently to the person, even if they are telling you about something that doesn’t interest you.

• Go outside and relish—most of us don’t get out into nature as much as we should. And that’s a shame because we miss out on so many wonders! Take time to go outside more. Go to the park and listen to the kids squeal with delight. Watch a hummingbird at your neighbor’s feeder. Enjoy the beauty of the natural world.

• Practice not complaining—when you start to notice how often you complain, you’ll be amazed! One day a week, practice not complaining, but rather reframe everything to put a positive, grateful spin on it. And mean it!

How to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

To cultivate an attitude of gratitude, we have to take time from our busy day and remember to give thanks for all the blessings that keep coming our way on a daily basis. Gratitude keeps us focused on what we have rather than all the things we don't have, which keeps us in a victim mentality. 

 

We may not realize that gratitude is a choice and that it doesn't come easily to many of us. Most of us were taught as children to say "thank you" when someone gave us a present or did something nice for us. But after a while, “thank you” can become quite glib unless we learn ways to cultivate the attitude of gratitude. Practicing gratitude is also a skill which is never too late to develop. 

 

Here are some things to keep in mind to develop an attitude of gratitude: 

 

Express Gratitude 

 

When you are grateful for the things that you have and express gratitude, it takes it to another level and opens the door to feeling optimistic. Optimism is a skill that can be cultivated and one of the ways to develop it is to think, feel, and express gratitude both for the small and the big things that take place in your life. 

 

The Law of Attraction and Gratitude

 

An important way to apply the Law of Attraction is to raise your vibration by acknowledging and giving thanks for what you have or experience.

When you are in a state of gratitude, you are resonating and sending out a frequency of acceptance and harmony, and as a result, you resonate at a much higher vibrational frequency. This frequency is what attracts to you the events, conditions, and circumstances that you desire. 

 

A Grateful Heart

 

A grateful heart begins by reflecting and contemplating on all the wonderful things around you. It has to do with a state of being and has to be cultivated by self-reflection. It comes by considering how life has supported you. Things as simple as listening to the birds sing or enjoying the taste of a homegrown tomato can be cause for celebration when you focus on having a grateful heart.

 

Gratitude Quotes

 

A simple way to remember to express gratitude is by reflecting on gratitude quotes. As we contemplate on the truth of these powerful sayings by people from all walks of life, they help us make a subtle shift in the way we perceive life and enable us to concentrate on the positive things, rather than the negative.

 

Science Proves Gratitude Makes Us Happy

For most, gratitude is a pure outright thank you. For others a half-hearted thank you text or card may seal the deal. But in psychology, it's is not just an offhand action. Gratitude is a positive emotion that goes a long way in contributing to happiness. The recognition entails more than feeling thankful for an act of kindness or condition because it consists of a deeper appreciation for someone or something. It affirms the graciousness of the giver. When we focus more on the many blessings in our lives, we are more contented, cheerful and generous. The feeling goes both ways. 

 

The giver derives immense joy from the act, and the receiver appreciates the kindness. 

 

In a fast-paced world like ours, it is not unusual for daily blessings to go unnoticed. We often overlook the little acts of kindness we experience every day. Small acts of kindness shown daily culminate into a happier life. Whether receiving or giving gratitude, scientific studies prove that the result is immense happiness.

 

Better Health

 

Gratitude increases optimism, and optimism has been proven to boost the immune system. According to a study by Harvard Medical school, those who are optimistic live happier, healthier, longer lives. 

 

New Relationships 

 

Saying thank you may constitute good manners, but showing appreciation may help you create new friendships, as well as live a happier life. A 2014 study discovered that thanking an acquaintance for a kindness more often than not makes them seek a deeper relationship with you. It doesn’t matter how small the kindness. Simply acknowledging little deeds leads to new relationship opportunities, and of course, more happiness. 

 

Less Depression

 

Counting your blessings goes a long way in loving yourself without undue comparison. According to a study, a one-time act of thoughtful appreciation produced a 10% increase in happiness and 35% reduction in depression. 

 

Business Health

 

As an entrepreneur or a team player, gratefulness is non-negotiable. Everyone loves to be appreciated. So, think of the world of good it would do your business if you showed more gratitude in your life. Send a thank you email or card. Say thanks when someone goes out of their way to make your life and business easier. Showing gratitude to workers, clients and investors makes you all happier and will give your business the needed boost because everyone you deal with will feel appreciated. 

 

Cultivating and sustaining an attitude of gratitude goes a long way in helping you achieve happiness since there is virtually no downside to this simple act. Though it may seem tasking at first, it becomes easy with persistence.

 

5 Things Extremely Fulfilled People Do That You Don’t

Everyone wants to live a happy, fulfilled life, right? It’s a no brainer! Look around you and notice the happy people who seem to roll with the punches. No matter what life throws at them, they find contentment and meaning wherever they are. 

 

So how do they do it? What do extremely fulfilled people do that you’re not doing? Here are some suggestions. 

 

1. They know themselves

 

People who are content and fulfilled have a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. They don’t berate themselves for not being perfect, but they focus on what they do well and work on the things they could improve. 

 

A good team needs people with different strengths and talents. If you’re an extrovert who loves people and organizing, you’ll excel at arranging functions, events, and conference. If you’re more analyst or a researcher, your strength is probably preparing reports or explaining data. 

 

2. They stay connected

 

Humans have a natural inclination to connect. Millions of years ago, survival depended on being committed to the group. People who are content and fulfilled in their lives tend to maintain healthy social networks. They stay connected to friends and family. They prioritize spending time with the people they love and have lots of support to rely on when things get tough.

 

3. They believe in themselves

 

People who grouse about their lives or are dissatisfied tend to have low self-esteem. They don’t expect things to go well for them and they stay in their unhappiness. Fulfilled people, on the other hand, have solid self-esteem and quiet inner confidence that life is pretty good. Confident people tend to have more friends and are more successful generally. Confidence sets up a positive circle that breeds more success, more happiness, and more confidence. 

 

4. They are grateful

 

A big difference people between who are content and people who are a Negative Nancy is that the happy people are grateful. Not just for their success but for everything in their lives. No matter what else is going on, fulfilled people can always find something to be grateful for. 

 

Gratitude is an excellent habit to cultivate. The more you focus on the good things in your life, the more good things there will be. Gratitude is energizing and positive and generates its own momentum. 

 

5. They have a purpose

 

People who are happy and fulfilled don’t just wait around for good things to happen to them. They have a purpose in life that is aligned with their values, and they just go for it. Extremely fulfilled people focus on doing what they feel they were made to do, what brings them satisfaction at the end of the day, and what makes a positive contribution to the world. 

 

How to Build a Gratitude Attitude and be Free Right Now

If there is one place where we should be completely free, then it is in our own mind. We might have limitations in terms of what our bodies are capable of and what we’re allowed to do – but our minds should be free to roam wherever we want them to.

 

Unfortunately, this is not the reality most of us live in. Instead, our thoughts are dictated by our circumstances and those circumstances are largely out of our control. This is why we will often find ourselves feeling dissatisfied and constantly wanting to push forward, rather than stopping to enjoy life and smell the roses.

 

And without meaning to get political or philosophical, our capitalist lifestyles only reinforce this nature and try to push us faster.

 

Are You Happy?

 

Most of us are constantly in a position of slight dissatisfaction. We feel as though there’s ‘one thing’ that could make our lives better and help us to be happier. Maybe we wish we had just a little bit more money, or maybe we wish we had a bigger house. Maybe we want a better job?

 

Partly this will be encouraged by the media and by the material goods that we want. We want more money so we can play the latest game, wear the latest clothes and post pictures of ourselves on holiday to show to friends. 

 

And we keep working harder and stressing more to try and accomplish these things – in turn keeping the cogs of society spinning.

 

Making a Change

 

But now take a think about that game you find yourself wanting. Aren’t there computer games on your shelf right now that you haven’t played yet? Aren’t there free games you could download today and have just as much fun with? Isn’t it just marketing that is pushing you towards that next game and that next expense?

 

Likewise, ask yourself if having more money would really make you happier. You can travel very cheaply right now – the problem is probably more with leaving work. More responsibility isn’t going to help that! 

 

So how do you make a change and start to be freer and happier right now? The answer is that you change your focus. Instead of fixating on what you don’t have and on what you want, instead start to fixate on what you already have and what you’re grateful for. This is called a ‘gratitude attitude’ and it’s the fastest route to having a satisfying and happy life.

 

Using Positive Affirmations to Combat Stress

Many people use affirmations for personal development and to help them meet their life goals. But did you know you can use affirmations to build resilience and combat stress?

 

Whether it's a one-off stress like having to give a presentation or an ongoing stressful issue, you can create the right affirmations to support you through. Affirmations will help you deal better with current stress, and over time, prevent future anxiety. 

 

1.    Know Your Negative Enemy

 

Identifying your negative thoughts is the first step in working out the best affirmations for you and your situation. 

 

Take a moment to think of all the beliefs that come up when you think about your stressful event. Do you worry about not knowing what to say at a party, or freezing while you try to give a presentation? Write down every negative thought that pops into your head. Make the conscious decision to move away from those negative beliefs. 

 

2.    Turn the Negatives into Positives

 

Now you have your list of negative thoughts; you can take each one and turn it into a positive. Make strong positive statements and remind yourself of times in the past when you coped well in similar situations. 

 

When you develop your affirmations, tie them back to times when you have succeeded in the past. If you can't think of any, ask your partner, friend, or colleague to help you. Likely they'll have a much more positive view of your skills and achievements than you do!

 

Write down some encouraging phrases to get you through, like 'I'm feeling stressed, but I will be ok,' 'I can do this,' 'When this is over, I will be so proud of myself.'

 

3.    Keep Your Affirmations Realistic

 

Affirmations are not magic. Keep your affirmations in proportion to what you can do and how you feel. If they are too ambitious, they can make you feel more anxious than before. And if you have a misstep or you fail, then you'll feel even worse than before. 

 

Maybe you get anxious about public speaking, whether it's giving a presentation or having a job interview. Your affirmations will help you even more if you know you have done everything possible to be prepared. 

 

If you worry about getting stage fright or going blank, prepare every aspect of your speech or presentation. Remind yourself that you know how to do this, you know your subject. 

 

Anticipate what might go wrong and work out strategies to prevent or deal with it, from having spare notes in case the technology fails to having a glass of water nearby if you feel faint.