I have to be honest but I really struggle to stay engaged when I hear people complaining about everything in their life or worse still, complaining about people in their life and doing nothing about it. The energy is draining and one of powerlessness!
Let’s face it, we all complain, even if you think you are the most positive person on the planet. Sometimes we complain without even realising it. Rarely is it helpful!!
It’s often easier to complain then fixing a problem eg quitting a job or having a difficult talk with someone. But when you see things from a different perspective and use gratitude, it becomes easier to stop complaining and see situations in a different light.
So, why can’t we all be more grateful? Having an attitude of gratitude helps us to enjoy life more. It can open our eyes to different experiences, reduce stress loads, break through barriers and of course raise our positive vibes! There is no doubt that being grateful goes a long way. But often it is difficult to be grateful in times of stress or disappointment as we get caught up in the cycle of “if only”. If only my partner was happier, then I’d be more grateful, if only I was in a better job then I could do what I want, if only I had more money and on and on they go…….
Sometimes we can get so fixated on the hope of “if only” that we forget to recognise all the great things we have all around us at the moment. As a reminder, gratitude is the emotion that relates to our ability to feel and express thankfulness and appreciation.
So, I challenge you to start a 30-day gratitude challenge!
Start your challenge by thanking people around you for doing their job, for being kind, for just being there as a friend. Remember to smile – feel the gratitude! Be thankful for any small kindness that comes your way and see how effective it is. Everyday stop for a few moments throughout the day and think about all the great things big and small that are around you that you can be grateful for. You can be grateful for the food you eat, the company of a n animal, a walk on the beach, the sound of a bird call – just connect to all the good stuff around you.
The most common way to grow your gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal (just as you can in the Open The Door app). Create a daily ritual of writing at least 3 things you are grateful for. Recording these positive experiences will boost your level of alertness, your enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy, especially when compared to those who focus on negative events.
In fact research shows that even recording your gratitude for 2 consecutive weeks will have a lasting positive effect. So it would seem that as we become happier we naturally will gravitate to things, people and situations that make us happier. That is the true power of being grateful!! Worth a try? I definitely think so……
Just a reminder that you can do the 30 day gratitude challenge in the Open The Door app too. Download it now from your favourite app store “Open The Door Wellbeing” and look for the gratitude challenge.
