Having an Attitude of Gratitude

By Shefali Burns

What does it mean to "have an attitude of gratitude"? What is gratitude? How can gratitude change your life? Gratitude to me is being grateful and thankful for everything in our lives. This includes the people in our lives, the lessons and challenges in our lives, the things that bring us joy and comfort, the basic necessities of life, etc. It means not taking anything for granted and accepting and appreciating what we have and who we are right now. Having an attitude of gratitude shifts our awareness from what we are lacking to the abundance that we already possess.

Practicing gratitude acknowledges all of the blessings in our life. A practical gratitude exercise that I really like is very simple. At the end of the night, just before you go to bed, write out 10 things that you are grateful for. These can be really simple, for example, I am grateful for the children in my life, I am grateful for the food in the fridge and cupboards, I am grateful for the roof over my head, I am grateful to have a job, etc. Or you can focus on the day and choose things that you are grateful for, for example tonight I will write these in my gratitude journal: I am grateful for the visit from my dear friends today, I am grateful for the fresh strawberries I ate today, I am grateful for the one-on-one quality time I spent with my daughter today, I am grateful for the spontaneous hug and kiss that I received from my son today, etc.

With regular practice of gratitude, you will feel more positive, balanced, calm, and peaceful. By practicing gratitude on a regular basis we become aware that we are part of a greater power. We expand our awareness and in the process become more humble. We become lighter and feel more free. For me the most important benefit of practicing gratitude and having an attitude of gratitude is that it keeps me positive and happy. Even on tough days, there are always at least 10 things that I can find to be grateful for, and if I am having a really bad day, I can read past entries in my journal to remind me of what is really important in my life and all of the goodness that I already possess. Being grateful instantly changes my perspective and I can go on and have a great day!!!

Continue to live in gratitude and live a light-filled life.

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Having an Attitude of Gratitude