Why is Gratitude So Important?
With Thanksgiving coming up, people are more likely to think about being grateful. And if you are anything like my family, we will express what we are thankful for around the dinner table while enjoying our feast of turkey, mashed potatoes and pecan pie.
However, lets take a look at what being grateful really is. One definition is: feeling or showing an appreciation of kindness; thankful. Here’s another definition of gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
I would like to challenge you to start looking at gratitude as a choice; a practice. It takes time. You can’t just wait until you “feel” grateful. A lot of times you have to start with choosing to be grateful.
Let’s look at why it is so important to begin the practice of being grateful:
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Gratitude shifts your focus. You actually can choose what to focus on. (I mean come on…. 2020 anyone? We could ALL use a little bit more of a push to redirect our focus for this year. Am I right???)
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Gratitude improves your quality of life. Many people with a gratitude practice report that they feel happier, in spite of their circumstances. When you are choosing to focus on the positive, the negative doesn’t seem so overwhelming.
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Gratitude overrides fear. Your mind cannot have fear and gratitude in the same place. Fear is usually dwelling on the “what ifs” or the “out of control” scenarios and feelings. Gratitude is shifting that focus onto what you can control and what you do have. From scarcity to abundance. From not enough to enough.
Want some resources to start your practice of being grateful today? Check these out.
The Mr. Thank You Project:
The Mr. Thank You Community is a free platform to help people track their gratitude and connect with others spreading gratitude around the planet
One Thousand Gifts:
A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. Author and blogger Ann Voskamp invites you into her own moments of grace, gently teaching you how to biblically lament loss, turning pain into poetry and intentionally embracing a lifestyle of radical gratitude.