Gratitude- Re-Learning How Great the Lost Art of Gratitude Can Be

The world seems to have forgotten the lost art of gratitude. We take and take but do not realize the sacrifices others make for us. Sure, we may say thank you when something is done for us directly, but what about our daily attitude. Do we constantly wish we had more, or are we thankful for what we do have? Being grateful benefits you physically and emotionally. It feels good to appreciate your blessings. It keeps how much you have at the forefront of your mind and keeps you from dwelling on the negative. It promotes feelings of kindness toward others as well, encouraging you to pay it forward.

When you practice being grateful, you begin to more easily see everything you have to be grateful for. In this way gratitude can actually change your whole world view. If you once saw the world as dark, gray, and hopeless, you will soon begin to realize that the world is bright, beautiful and full of hope. It is a totally transforming experience.

Gratitude also allows you to see yourself more clearly. When you begin to practice being thankful, you begin to lose some of the negative feelings you have about yourself. You will start to see your potential and what you have to offer the world, and you will want to go out and start changing things so others can feel what you are feeling.

Practicing gratitude must first be intentional, and eventually it will become second nature. Consider the following steps to intentionally practicing gratitude. These should be practiced daily to have the greatest effect.

Every morning before you get out of bed, think about everything you have to be grateful for. If you cannot think of anything, be thankful that you woke up.
Make it a point to give thanks at least 5 times during the day. You can even make a check list in the beginning if you need to.
Randomly throughout the day look around and find something to be thankful for.
Say “thank you” often, and mean it.

Practicing these steps intentionally everyday will eventually lead to them becoming habit. It might feel awkward at first, or you may feel like the gratitude is not real since you are following a checklist. The fact of the matter is, you are simply setting up reminders to remind you to allow yourself to take the time to be grateful.