Here are a few tips to help you approach life with an attitude of gratitude:
• It is so easy to focus on the negative. In most situations, there is something good to be found, even if the only good thing is the situation cannot last forever. Practice asking, “What is good about this situation that I might have missed?”
• Take a look around, there are people less fortunate than you that you could help in some way. You can even do it for selfish reasons, as reaching out makes you feel good.
• Do you have a gratitude attitude? Do you ever slow down enough to notice all your blessings?
One of the clear advantages of a gratitude attitude is that this attitude opens you up to more abundance.
There are many things in life over which we little or no control. One of things we always have control over is our attitude. Make sure yours is one of gratitude.
• Take a look at your day planner or schedule program. If yours is at all like mine, you will find Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. What you will not find is Someday. That is because it does not exist. So make your someday today.
• Where is your zest for life? Getting excited about your day is a powerful way in which to be grateful. One of my favorite business speakers is Barbara Glanz. Her motto is “spreading contagious enthusiasm.” Sounds like a good thing to do to me. You can visit Barbara and www.BarbaraGlanz.com.
• When was the last time you had fun? It’s a privilege many people in the world never have. Schedule some fun. Take a moment and write down five things you do for fun. Now pick one of those five things and commit to doing it within the next week. For many of us, that is 100 percent improvement over what we have been doing.
• Do you do the same old same old each and every day? Life has many cool things available, so why die the daily death of “I’ve always done it this way before?”
A recent beer commercial offers us the slogan “Life beckons.” And it does. You can do the same old thing every day, or you could take a look around and notice all that you may be missing out on.
• Want to feel very grateful this time next year and most days in between? Then live full out.
The reality is that this is not a dress rehearsal. Although we often act like it is. My suggestion is to go do!
Jeff Herring, MS, LMFT, is a marriage and family therapist.
Comments are no longer available on this story