Gratitude is an Attitude
It’s hard to explain, but most of us know the feeling. Life at times can become boring and seem like a broken pencil; pointless. You wake up from a dream you can barely remember; brush your teeth and shower as you prepare for a long day at work or class (or both); eat a breakfast you’ve had plenty of times before in record time to catch the bus or to make it to your destination on time, while rinsing the food down with some orange juice, coffee or tea. When you get to work, the routine continues and before you know it, you’re back at home eating dinner and preparing to do the same exact thing the following day. It’s a mundane; frustrating; boring; calculated cycle that seems to never end and other than for the occasional surprise, life often becomes a somber, predictable story that always ends with the sequel being constructed from recycled scenes of it’s predecessor. But it doesn’t have to be like this.
Life is a miracle and a blessing, which many people often fail to realize because they are busy fretting about the past, worrying about the future, instead of losing themselves in the moment. I can’t say that I’m an expert on how to make everyday in my life exciting, but I’ve learned a few ways to make sure that I don’t lose sight of how blessed I am, regardless of how each day plays out. It’s simple. Be grateful for everything in your life and like magic, every day will become an adventure as you begin to notice the beautiful external world, as well as the incredible universe within you.
- Wake up and go to bed thanking God. Most commonly known as prayer, this is a simple way to feel blessed and thankful before you retire after a long day or before you get up to tackle the days challenges. Take a few minutes as soon as you wake up to let God (regardless of your religion, take time to thank the higher being you believe in) know how amazing He is and how grateful you are of everything He has done for you in the past; what He’s doing for you in the present; and what He will do for you in the future. Again, do the same before you fall asleep and before long you will find yourself waking up with new positive energy and unconditional optimism as you develop a strong relationship with God. Build your Faith, and He will build your life.
- Don’t waste your time. Ever find yourself in traffic while going to work? Or find yourself waiting in the Doctors office as he waits on other patients? I used to always get frustrated during these moments, often checking my watch and shouting expletives at anyone who would listen that I was wasting my time…waiting. This would plant negative emotions inside me and my day would often be ruined because negative thinking usually attracts more negativity. Instead of making this critical mistake, use your time wisely and start to list off things in your life that you are grateful for or people/things that make you happy. For instance, if you are on a long bus ride, put down the book and turn off the iPod and quietly whisper to yourself how happy you are that you’re family is healthy, safe, and supportive in your ambitions. Whisper to yourself (or in your head if you’re self-conscious about people thinking you’re crazy) about everything that positively influences your life. The best conversations I have are with myself and I’m proud to admit it. I usually talk to myself for hours, thanking God for my health (mentally and physically) my family, my girlfriend, my education, my friends, and my well being (financially). When I’m done thanking Him for the important things in my life, I annoy Him by thanking him for my computer, my cell phone, my clothes, my TV, my blog, my music, etc. It’s not really a conversation with God since He doesn’t exactly talk back using words, but it feels great to communicate with the most positive and powerful entity in the universe. The way I see it is, if I can talk to Him, the ultimate boss, I’ll do fine during all my job interviews!
- Give, Give, and Give. Giving is the best way to earn anything in life. It earns you respect, love and loyalty and although you “lose” something, in return you gain a sense of fulfillment that will last a lifetime. Make it a point to give someone a positive message or compliment everyday of your life. Make it into a game and see how many people you can help or give to, but give genuinely; from the heart. Don’t remember that you gave, because most people will remember that you gave them a positive feeling and if you give enough they will make it a habit it to remind you that you’ve changed their lives for the better. Instead of patting your own back, they’ll be massaging yours, which is a lot more comfortable and relaxing. Trust me! And don’t forget to give thanks for being able to give. A lot of people can’t give in life because they don’t have anything to give or they don’t know the power of giving, so be thankful that you have the ability to change someone’s life every single day.
These are just a few suggestions on how to get more out of life. Of course there are more ways to keep life interesting, but being thankful and exploring the many forms of gratitude is a great place to start. Remember, gratitude is all about your attitude!
Thank you for reading!
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