Written by Bec Dudley
I have read gratitude is a warm feeling of thankfulness towards the world, or towards specific individuals. A person who feels gratitude is thankful for what they have and does not constantly seek more.
What does gratitude look like when disaster strikes?
It’s easy to feel grateful when life is good, but when disaster strikes, gratitude is worth the effort.
In fact, it is in crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope. In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times.
But it is vital to make a distinction between feeling grateful and being grateful. We don’t have total control over our emotions. We cannot easily will ourselves to feel grateful, less depressed, or happy. Feelings follow from the way we look at the world, thoughts we have about the way things are, the way things should be, and the distance between these two points.
Being grateful is a choice, a fundamental attitude that endures and is relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances.
es, this perspective is hard to achieve – but from my experience it is worth the effort!
Here are 7 ways to have more gratitude in your daily life:
Don’t be picky: appreciate everything
Keep a gratitude journal
Volunteer
Practice mindfulness
Spend time with loved ones
Improve your happiness in other areas of your life
Find gratitude in your challenges
How do we teach gratitude to our children?
Let’s keep this simple, each night as you sit to eat dinner as a family go around the table and have each family member share three things they are grateful for today. If you don’t eat dinner as a family (which I would like to suggest you should), why not try this idea as you drop or pick the kids up from school.
Being grateful is one life skill everyone should aspire to obtain because when you walk through life with gratitude your life is full. Gratitude helps us feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve our health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
Till next month,
Live a Simple Happy and Healthy Life! x