Gratitude, Is How You Make The Most Of Your Life.
Gratitude, offers us all, long term freedom and peace. It is that ever so sweet, sweet spot, that ticks the boxes of being both positive and grounded in reality.
The benign benefits of gratitude, make themselves freely available to optimists and pessimists alike. Present in our big picture, (of being alive) and in the smallest of details (each breath we take, sunlight, our preferences etc).
Gratitude, reminds us to count and appreciate our blessings. It reminds us to avoid the human tendency of taking for granted what we have already gotten. It frees us from getting caught in the trap of never being satisfied and always chasing more, from a place of lacking.
Through gratitude, when we chase more, it comes from a place of motivation to add more, to what we already have. This difference, makes all the difference.
When Gratitude Meets Momentum, We Level Up.
Instead of us having the energy of poverty or neediness. Being grateful for what we already have as we aspire for more, gives us the spirit of conquest and adventure.
Very much in touch with our inner child. Our lives have purpose. We embody the energy of winners. Moreover, being mindful of our wins, helps us be resilient and able to better handle the negative noise of the naysayers.
If the haters, only see what we lack. That is on them and perhaps, a part of their duty as haters. However, gratitude imbues us with a strength born from a crystal clear recollection, of our past victories.
Whilst we aspire to win some more. We do it from a place of having won before, rather than a place of starting from scratch. Even if we technically are starting from scratch in some way.
Being Grateful, Cultivates Positive Focus.
Gratitude is also important because life is short. Every journey we undertake has an unknown end. Victory is unguaranteed and somewhere off in the future. However, the journey is guaranteed and present in the present. Whilst en route to our end goals, there will be a thousand little steps and mini victories.
What gratitude does is it ensures that we count and appreciate, every, single, one of them. Being grateful, ensures that we maximise the positive emotions we feel, from every step that brings us closer to our goals.
Being grateful for everything helps us pay attention to every detail. It helps us be fully present and focused. Instead of our focus being elsewhere or on some outside location.
Gratitude helps us pay attention to our own lives. It confirms that our lives have value and that we have value. It helps us be in touch with the benign nature of the Universe and have a shot at perceiving the abundance of opportunities and positivity, that is all around us.
There is no financial cost to gratitude. The financial cost of being grateful is zero. It is free to practice gratitude. Although it does cost effort to begin practising it and discipline to keep practising it.
However, the return on the investments of effort and discipline are simply through the roof. The gains we get from consistently being grateful are relevant in both good and “bad” times.
We are better able to be resilient. Are more mindful of past wins. More focused on our lives and approach new goals, with a higher level of positivity.
To be blunt, gratitude is a must have weapon. In a world where distractions abound and the lives and noise of the rest of the 8.3 Billion people on the planet is everywhere.
Beat The Enemy Within, Through Gratitude.
Furthermore, being grateful helps us better handle the potential enemy within. In the same way that we count our blessings, we could easily be counting our losses instead.
The flip side of the coin is that there is pain, defeat and negativity everywhere too. The haters have no need to make up material for their gloomy perspective of the world and others. They honestly may be right about a lot of what they say.
However, the important point to remember here is quality of life. We either can choose a perspective that empowers us to make the most out of life. Or, we can choose a perspective that encourages us to adopt a defeatist attitude. Seeing the worst in everything and everyone whilst being mindful of our worst memories.
What kind of quality of life is that?!!!!
If the world is full of challenges, pain and negativity, it is because too many people choose to see life through the lens of ingratitude.
This perspective, pays them in pain and robs them from being able to appreciate most and maybe all, of the positivity around them.
Everyday and every moment alive, we have a choice. To choose between being grateful and ungrateful. One, gives you more life, empowers and motivates you to be your best self. Whilst the other poisons you, demotivates and relegates you to being a dead person walking.
Through gratitude, you have the opportunity to choose to always look on the bright side of life and humanity. This perspective, is the best lens through which you can see life.
It is grounded in factual reality and fills with a force, empowering you to be your greatest self.
Arguably, what looks like a choice, (between being grateful and ungrateful), is a no-brainer.