Feelings of gratitude don't always come naturally, especially in times of strife or struggle. But an attitude of gratitude is something we can cultivate in our lives through practice and intention.
Gratitude is a topic that often comes up when Thanksgiving rolls around, but it's a worthwhile topic to talk about all year round. I want gratitude to be part of who I am rather than something I just conjure up during the holidays or whenever something good happens in my life.
Not only does it feel good to have a grateful outlook on life, but the benefits of gratitude are scientifically proven to affect everything from your relationships to your stress level to the quality of your sleep.
I explored the topic of gratitude in a series of three blog posts.
- The first post, I'm Grateful, but Not Necessarily Content, covers the relationship between gratitude and contentment. It's easy to feel grateful when things are going our way and we have the best of the best, but it's a lot harder to feel grateful when we're not where we want to be, or we long for something we don't yet have.
- The second post, Three Ways to Boost Your Attitude of Gratitude, discusses actionable steps you can take every day to enhance your attitude of gratitude. Just like anything else, gratitude takes practice. It might feel silly to have to remind yourself to be grateful, but after time it will become a way of life instead of something you need to work on.
- The third post, Guilt Free Gratitude, explores the relationship between gratitude and guilt. A lot of people think there's a right and wrong way to be grateful. They feel guilty for being grateful for material things, and think they should only be grateful for basic needs. But any type of gratitude is GOOD, and the more things you're grateful for, the better.
I hope you enjoy these posts as much as I enjoyed writing them! Feel free to leave comments with your thoughts on gratitude and any struggles or suggestions you have in regard to leading a grateful life.