4 Unexpected Ways Gratitude Can Change Your Life
It is amazing how one, simple affirmative action can change so much in someone's life. One of the things that can have a marvellous impact on your life is the realisation of the power of gratitude. Practicing gratitude can affect every aspect of your life. Here are four unexpected ways incorporating gratitude into your life can change it for the better.
It Can Help You Move Out Of a Foul Mood
Rather than getting angry at someone, show gratitude for them instead. This isn't always going to be easy to do because it is a significant switch of attitudes. If someone makes you mad, rather than getting angry at them, take a couple of deep breaths to create space between the stimuli and your response, and in that space, focus instead on something that makes you feel grateful. It could be a random thought about a special person in your life, or your morning cup of coffee. Just choose something to be grateful for other than the emotion of anger. This isn’t going to be easy, but it can most certainly stop the amygdala highjack that is inevitably taking place when someone boils your blood.
Doing this, for at least 30 seconds, can slowly change your mood. Then, move towards compassion for the person, and if possible, show your gratitude toward them rather than anger . This isn’t only good for you, and your mood, but it can certainly change your relationship for the better.
It Transform Your Relationships
While it is always important to talk out your problems with your spouse or significant other, criticising them all the time will quickly deteriorate your relationship. Instead, when you find yourself feeling the urge to criticise them, stop and take a deep breath, and calm down. Start to think about all the reasons you are grateful for your partner, then share your gratitude with them as soon as possible. Showing your gratitude will help to make your relationship stronger.
It Improves Your Parenting Skills
Many parents get frustrated with their kids. It seems to be something that comes with the territory. Unfortunately, many parents also communicate their frustrations to their kids too often, leaving their kids to feel bad about themselves. Rather than continually criticising, take a moment to calm down and think of all the ways you are grateful for your children. Share these reasons with your children and take the opportunity to teach them, rather than criticising them. You'll both be better for it.
It Helps You to Deal with Tragedy
When you suffer a tragedy, try to be grateful for the life that you still have. This isn’t about bypassing the emotion of grief or sadness, but more about finding a light within the heavier emotions. You can hold both emotions at the same time. Grief Gratitude can co-exist. Facing disasters in your life can be crippling if you let them overcome you. While you still want to grieve, you can also take away something even more significant from the tragedy, the gratitude for the life you still have or the moments you spent with the person you’ve lost. Love for the people you still have in your life, and appreciation for the fleeting beauty of life can also take your focus. Remember to take the opportunity to show appreciation for those that are still in your life and enjoy your time together while you can.
Finding ways to incorporate gratitude into your life will change it for the better.
Learn more about GRATITUDE IS A VIRTUE, my mini eBook and audio-program here.