Count your blessings, we’re told, but it’s just not in our nature. People with a strong sense of gratitude, love and appreciation don’t necessarily have more than others; they simply recognize and see more beauty in their lives.
Why do we rather count our problems?
If you’re too busy dwelling on the past or thinking about the future, you won’t be able to fully notice how fantastic things are right now. Plus, thinking about the past and future opens the door to comparison, which is the only way you can perceive something as not good enough. Enjoy today, this moment and don’t postpone your enjoyment. It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. Our life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks. Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.
Look around. Notice beautiful shapes, colors, and details. Notice things you normally take for granted, like sunlight reflecting off someone’s hair. Think of all the little things you’d miss if you were blind. It’s often the most minute joys that are missed the most. Savor your food. Eat slowly. Don’t just gobble and chug.
Cherish any kind of lightheartedness in your life, things like laughter, and affection, and playfulness are fleeting. Don’t be the person who takes life too seriously, who doesn’t have time to have fun, or who has no sense of humor.
Relax, it’s hard to cultivate a sense of gratitude when you’re angry, frustrated, or anxious. If these are issues that you struggle with, it’s important to resolve them, as they’re formidable barriers to thankfulness. Take a vacation. Ideally, you shouldn’t have to separate yourself from something (or someone) in order to appreciate it. But it can be a good way to trigger your sense of gratitude just once in a while.
Saying all that it just hit me, why don’t we start a gratitude journal. Challenge yourself to write down five new things every day that you’re grateful for. It’ll be easy in the beginning, but soon you’ll discover that you have to increase your awareness to keep on. Or maybe start a gratitude challenge, a social experiment. Let’s live on the brighter side of life and anyone can join this challenge. Are you up for it?
Who’s up for a challenge? click here ..