Attitude of Gratitude

How are you enjoying 2017 so far?  How are you doing with your new year's resolutions now that the normalcy of regular life has returned?  Chances are you have not gotten to them yet, or the pressures at work or school or at home are interfering with your implementation of them.  Don't be too hard on yourself, there are still 355 day left during which you can work on those resolutions!

One of my resolutions is to live 2017 with an attitude of gratitude.  It is very easy to get bogged down in the realities of living in the 21st century.  Life is definitely not the same as it had been twenty years ago.  In some areas it is much easier, but in a great many others life in this century demands a lot from us.  Living has become difficult as we are faced with so many challenges every day.  However, what a blessing it is to be alive!

It is amazing to see the difference it makes to the quality of our lives when we start looking for each little blessing in our lives, when we turn our eyes away from the trouble, the difficult situations life throws at us and start to focus on the good things our whole vision is changed.

This year I don't want to just notice the good things, I want to write them down and I want to talk about them.  I suggest to you to make time for a little experiment.  The next time you join a group of people talking about how bleak the future looks, the state of the country, the exorbitant prices or the lying politicians, don't add your two bits of negativity as well, but rather point out something positive.  At first they might ignore you or pause for a moment before they carry on, but after your third or fourth positive comment the conversation will turn and soon everyone in the group will have something positive to say as well.  Soon you will be cultivating an attitude of gratitude in other people as well. 

When we practise gratitude we become less self-centered, we start focusing on others and become open to new ideas, we smile easier and we become more enthusiastic about life.  This in turn has a major impact on our self-esteem and energy levels.  When our hearts are filled with gratitude we become infused with feelings of optimism and in the process we rid ourselves of the heavy load of gloom which accompanies feelings of depression and dissatisfaction.  The added benefit of all these good feelings is that it has an effect on our health as well.  When we feel optimistic and energetic we are able to exercise more and eat healthier.  It is my humble opinion that Gratitude should be listed as a hormone for all the wonderful benefits it has on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

Are you with me in my quest for achieving an attitude of gratitude this year?  Please drop me a line, I would love to hear from you, be blessed.