Attitudes and Gratitude
by: Brook Noel
"Gratitude turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,
confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house
into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of
our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
Melody Beattie
Once with a group of women, we were discussing why it is that
some children who seem to "have it all" are pleasant
and friendly while others become spoiled. After sharing our stories,
we drew the conclusion that the difference rests in the attitude
and teachings of the parents. Some children "expect"
to have certain things, and they soon become spoiled and unwavering.
Other children remain thankful and appreciative.
Think of adults you know that fit these descriptions. Whom
do you know who has a chip on their shoulder or feels the world
owes them something? Whom do you know who greets each discovery
with appreciation? It is easy to guess who is happier and more
fulfilled.
Developing a thankful attitude goes a long way toward developing
a more resilient and appreciative self. Here are a few ideas for
spreading the attitude of gratitude:
Think About the Whole Process.
When you receive anything, be it a child's drawing or an expensive
purchased gift, focus on how much time, effort, and thought went
into the gift. Taking the time to realize how much work, caring,
and thought a person has given you, is a wonderful way to deepen
your appreciation of both the giver and the gift.
Realize Each Day is a Gift.
There are so many things that we take for granted. Many times
we don't realize how much we actually take for granted until tragedy
strikes. For example, I always enjoyed my brother and never imagined
we would lose him at age 27. It wasn't until after this tragedy
that I learned each day and each moment we have is a precious
gift. Don't be wasteful or unappreciative of these moments.
Lower Your Expectations.
I knew a woman who felt that she had such a series of bad luck
that the world surely owed her something. I couldn't stand being
around her; she complained about everything. If it rained, it
seemed the sky was out to get her. When we quit expecting the
world (or people) to give us things, we can become more focused
on enjoying the gifts that do come our way.
Sarah Ban Breathnach in her best-selling book, Simple Abundance:
A Daybook of Comfort and Joy, advocates the use of a gratitude
journal. She cites this as "a tool that could change the
quality of your life beyond belief." I completely agree.
The premise of the gratitude journal is to record five things
that you are grateful for each day. Some days you might have to
be creative to find five. Other days you might have ten or twenty!
Value the little things. Value the person who sincerely smiled
and asked how you were at the grocery store checkout. Value the
soft touch of a child's hand on your shoulder. Value a new song
that you hear on the radio.
Create your own gratitude journal and list five things that
you are grateful for each evening. Notice how this deepens your
appreciation for life and helps to maintain a positive outlook.
You may also want to start a "Family Gratitude Journal"
where each night you think of five things that you are grateful
for as a family.
About The Author: Brook Noel is an international best-selling
author and has written over 10 books. Her works include: I Wasn't
Ready to Say Goodbye: surviving, coping and healing after the
sudden death of a loved one; Grief Steps; The Single Parent Resource
and her newest book The Change Your Life Challenge: A 70 Day Life
Makeover Program for Women To learn more about the challenge that
thousands of women have used to improve relationships, finances,
home management, self-esteem, fitness, self-care, stress and depression
you can go visit the website at http://www.changeyourlifechallenge.com/.
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