So you’ve heard it all before? Part 1: Gratitude


credit: bigibigi

 

This is part 1 of a four part series titled So You’ve Heard It All Before?

1: Gratitude
2: Confidence
3: Destiny
4. What Next?

 
This short series began after I attended a school awards night. One of the speeches was on confidence, and the material presented was not exactly new. But it was compelling. And inspiring! So I really just want to pay tribute to something I was reminded of – sometimes it’s good to hear material we may have heard before! It helps reiterate what we already know, and gives us a fresh perspective from another person’s view point. From time to time we also learn something!

Gratitude

How many times have you thought to yourself “I’d be really happy if only I had…..” The ending to this line really depends on what is important to you, but maybe its “if only I had…

… a million dollars”
… a wife/husband” (or maybe a different wife/husband!)
… a new car / house / boat”
… children”
… a higher paying job”
… a winning lottery ticket!”

I’ve certainly used one or more of those lines before. I remember thinking to myself a few years back, “If I could make a heap of money, I’d be much happier!”

There were a few events that happened in my life that changed my way of thinking, however (I’ve mentioned one of them in a recent post here so I won’t bore you with it again!) Lately I’ve been spending more time being thankful for what I have in my life. It’s easy to take things for granted when they’re around you every day, it’s only when we take a step back and reflect on how much certain things really mean to us that we can truly be thankful and express gratitude.

What’s the point of being grateful?

There are a number of reasons. One of them is that your actions are dictated by your thoughts. When you start appreciating things more and being more grateful, it’s reflected in your behaviour. For example, if you are taking more time to reflect on and be grateful for your spouse or kids, it can change the way you act or react to different situations. I can attest to this in my own life – there have been times when it has helped me not to over-react when one of the kids does something wrong; instead I’ve found myself to be a little more tolerant, forgiving.

A great author by the name of Dr Wayne Dyer also talks about abundance and prosperity, and how these can be influenced by a scarcity mentality. If we believe and focus on scarcity, we evaluate our lives in terms of what is missing or lacking; we spend time focusing on what we need or want rather than being thankful for what we have. He states, “People believe they live a life of lack because they are unlucky, instead of recognizing that their belief system is rooted in scarcity thinking. Yet as long as they live with a scarcity mentality, that is what they will attract to their lives.” For those of you who have read or seen The Secret, this also corresponds with the concept of laws of attraction.

Having gratitude in your life therefore is not only beneficial for:

  • Yourself, but also
  • The people close to you, and
  • Other people around you.

credit: ^riza^

 

Show a little gratitude

What’s the best way to stop taking things for granted and show a little more gratitude? I normally start with myself. Every day I make sure I take time out to be thankful for my life – for my health, my sight, my strength. For the person I am right now, and the things I’m improving on.

Then I expand and move out from there – being thankful for the people close to me, my wife and kids. My family, my work. The possessions I have, the place I live, food, clothes. The great coffee I drank this morning! I think about recent events and situations in my life and try to be thankful for what I may have learned, even if it means turning negatives into positives – sometimes hindsight can give you a completely different perspective on things.

“The secret is to stop focusing on what we do not have, and shift our consciousness to an appreciation for all that we are and all that we do have”    - Wayne Dyer

You can then begin to express that gratitude by doing things like:

  • Buying flowers for your wife (something I need to do way more often!)
  • Writing someone an email to appreciate a great article they wrote
  • Phoning your brother or sister just to say hi
  • Going above and beyond what is required of you at work
  • Linking to great articles like this one from Billionaire Woman, or this one at Think Simple Now
  • Volunteering your time to help someone in need
  • Telling your kids how much you love and appreciate them, and showing them by spending time with them

A powerful aspect of gratitude is service to others – they really go hand in hand. Once you start improving on being grateful, there is a natural tendency to want to help other people more.

“Whatever you focus your thoughts on, expands”
- Wayne Dyer

 
Gratitude is so important in life, and so often neglected. Taking a bit of time out to be thankful can have a positive, powerful impact on many areas of your life.