Do We Practice Gratitude?
HOW IS YOUR GRATITUDE?
I always like to define the term before applying to it to a situation. Gratitude is the initiation of showing appreciation for and returning kindness, being thankful, acknowledging, or giving credit in regard to something.
Do we take time to appreciate the good things we have acquired? Have we sat back and pondered how far we have come?
· The event that made you feel so important.
· A person that took the time to show you that life has more to offer than what you are experiencing.
At times we forget the small things that made the bigger displays in our life. Seems we need bigger better and more advanced, which makes us lose track of being grateful.
We need to try to humble ourselves back down at times and not forget the small steps that lead us to where we are. God sometimes reverts us back to many beginnings and helps us to remember that things can be easily taken away.
There are many signs of Gratitude
Paying attention to the small joy and peace that we endure at times
Spending time in prayer and giving thanks to God
Initiating kindness towards someone else
Health appreciation
Observing many beauties that we may encounter on a daily basis
Taking moments to yourself and realizing how many things you should be grateful for
Take a moment and write down two things you are grateful for, and place it on your mirror that you look at each and every day. (Try: a dry-erase marker, you’re Welcome!)
Let that be a small reminder before you start your hectic day. Then, when you come back to that mirror in the Evening you then will be reminded you still have many things to be grateful for.
Days, Weeks, Months, including them darn years that hurt us. If we get so wrapped up in all the hurt and disappointments, or if Life simply points to “NO”; it will consume our every thought.
Sometimes, I have found myself frustrated, venting, and unbelievably all into myself when I have failed something or someone I respect.
If I take myself to the beginning of where my first steps of receiving mercy from God, that will be the start of my Gratitude. Thank you Jesus for Saving me, and giving me chance after chance by helping to fix my messes. God is Good and he makes my Soul Well!
By practicing Gratitude, you will reap many benefits in Wellness aspects. Here are a few that come to mind:
Lessing of depression, and anxiety levels
Building stronger relationships
Helping your self-esteem thrive
Creating a stronger immune system
Establishing optimism towards life in general
Less insomnia
It can lower blood pressure levels
Go ahead and do some research. It is amazing to see how Gratitude can affect our mental, emotional and physical state on this type of level.
The Degree of Gratitude
Can you say YES to these questions on measuring your Gratitude?
o Do you appreciate the people in your life that help you?
o Looking at this crazy world, can you still find something to be grateful for?
o Did you feel grateful when life let you experience various rare moments?
o As you age are you appreciative?
o Maturity levels can be something to be appreciated, have you evaluated where you are at?
These are simply a few questions but the list could continue.
If you had answered yes to most of these questions, I am pleased to say you do have a great sense of gratitude. If the answer was mostly no, you could reach out to someone, and they can help you take steps toward being more grateful.
Here are a few suggested steps for practicing Gratitude.
Start by giving thanks and get in the habit of saying them. Trust me when you practice it will become part of your life.
Write it down and make it seem real to you. Journaling and checklist are great tools to help with the process of becoming more grateful.
Focus on being grateful. Allow yourself time to take moments in when life is hitting you hard. Emotions make us all weary so do yourself that bit of good and walk away to collect yourself. and let it sink in that Gratitude is worth having.
Taking note of moments. That moment you passed that test, landed that promotion, and been recognized for a project you worked your behind on. You climbed that huge mountain literally or figuratively speaking.
Pray for Gratitude. God definitely has a great sense of humor and he will remind you of those moments when you need to be appreciative.
Now I do want to consider another perspective on being overly grateful. I understand how being grateful can be portrayed.
However, don’t feel like you have to be grateful to “have” a relationship, friendship, job, et cetera if it is potentially toxic to you. Do not be grateful for that situation, person, or environment. I want to stress this statement; Gratefulness brings Joy and peace. Reconsider your state of well-being if you do not feel such things.
