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| Courtesy of http://www.essentiallybewell.com/ |
by Shanna Stubblefield
Would you like to make friends easier?
Sleep better? Have higher self-esteem? Suffer from fewer aches and pains?
Experience less anger, resentment and bitterness? Have a deeply purposeful
life? Have less stress and feel more content with life? Sounds pretty incredible, doesn’t it. But it’s
not only possible, but pretty easy.
Achieving every one of those life
improvements has been scientifically proven by doing one simple thing. That one simple thing is to cultivate and experience gratitude more
often. Here are ten easy ways to foster gratitude. Choose one or two or all ten and get started
today!
1.
Keep a gratitude journal. Every day, jot down a few
things or people that you are grateful to have in your life.
2.
Carry thank you notes in your car, purse, or brief
case. When you are stuck in traffic or in a waiting room, write a short, heartfelt
note of gratitude to someone who has helped you in any way.
3.
Choose to be especially grateful to people you may not
even usually notice; mail carriers, sanitation workers, janitors, cashiers,
baggers, and construction workers.
4.
Write a thank you letter to somebody who helped you
become the person you are today; a teacher, a parent, a friend, a religious
leader, or a mentor.
5.
Every day, choose to be grateful for seemingly small
things; sunshine, toast, warm blankets, hot showers, chocolate, hugs,
handshakes, cool breezes, blooming flowers, snowflakes, colorful leaves, shade
trees, lemonade, good books, etc.
6.
Get to know and learn to appreciate somebody who is different
than you; whether it be somebody from a different religion, political
persuasion, culture, or economic background.
7.
Give out hugs. Hug a police officer, a teacher, a
neighbor, the cashier at your local convenience store, a child, a spouse, a new
friend, somebody who has forgiven you, somebody you have chosen to forgive,
etc.
8.
Teach a child to have gratitude. Bake cookies with a
child and deliver them to neighbors, teachers, or friends. Help a child write a
thank you letter to servicemen and women in the military. Always show gratitude
for any courtesy extended to you, especially in the presence of a child.
9.
Choose to be grateful for positive things that have
resulted from trials, heartaches and disappointments. For example, the ability
to go back to school after a divorce, a change in career after a job loss, the
outpouring of support and love after a death, learning to be more independent
after a breakup etc.
10. Have
gratitude for yourself. Appreciate your own body for what it can do. Can you
walk up a flight of stairs? Can you walk a mile? Can you run a mile? Can you
hold a child’s hand? Can you feel the sunshine on your cheeks? Can you carry a
bag of groceries? Can you plant a garden? Can you smell a rose? Recognize and appreciate good qualities in
yourself. Are you kind? Are you a good listener? Do you forgive others? Are you
a hard worker? Do you have an eye for
detail? Are you artistic or musical? Are
you understanding and compassionate? Are
you passionate about your work?
