3 Ways To Bring Gratitude Into Your Life

There is a lot of bad news around. No news in that. Does it get to you? I limit the amount of news I read, hear or watch because it gets me down. Being grateful for what is immediately around me alleviates unnecessary stress, and restores my spirit.

1. Control Your Attitude In response to my recent post 4 Steps to Enrich Your Life I received the following from one reader:

The article reaffirmed my belief that we really are what we think. After reading the article, I stopped focusing on my stress, and good things actually started happening again. I have to practice this daily or it is easy for me to get a bit depressed. In fact, as part of my "gratitude practice," I have an online journal that lists the things I am grateful for with photographs to illustrate them. It is great to have the blog format, because it is portable and I can check in from anywhere if needed. So, when I am feeling frustrated at work, I can take a quick break, and visit my site and remember what is important and what I am grateful for. I highly recommend this to others as a mental exercise. It takes time to update, but the result is a wonderful list of gratitude and images that show the beauty and joy in my life.

This reader reminded me how, as much as we may not be in control of the circumstances of our lives, we can be in control of our attitude. Gratitude is a great attitude.

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought,
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."
G.K. Chesterton

2. Develop Appreciation At our monthly Possible Dream Meeting last Saturday morning, we did an appreciation exercise which I have done many times with groups. It can be done as a family at a picnic; on a lunch break with co-workers; with friends who get together from time to time.

The exercise is simple and can be done spontaneously. Look around fellow members of your group and write down the greatest strengths and positive qualities you observe in each one. If you do not know the people well, trust your intuition to show you. Look down the list of qualities you have written.

Then, take it in turn to tell each person the qualities and strengths you notice and appreciate in them.

3. Own Your Strengths We are mirrors to each other. We will recognize in others the strengths and qualities we have in ourselves. Sometimes a person will say: Oh no. I don't have that quality. Invariably, one other will affirm that he or she does. Sometimes, we are not aware of our greatest strengths. Other times, we have yet to fully develop them.

The beauty of this exercise is that of being more open with people around you. You grow trust and feel safe to enjoy new bonds. It will also assist you to touch in to the best of your human spirit. This awareness can help to sustain you through challenging times. When you are in touch with the spirit within you, you will not feel alone or abandoned.

On Saturday, I wrote the qualities I observed in the others, and those they fed back to me, on a card. I have it by me this week.

Please take a moment to appreciate yourself. It is a way to be in touch with the remarkable spirit that you are.

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing.
It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well."
Voltaire

Finally, I am grateful for that human spirit that lives within each of us; that connects us profoundly to the goodness in each other; that has the solutions to our problems; that in the middle of chaos and disillusionment, nevertheless radiates joy.

Sometimes it takes for bad things to happen for the right person to be inspired to produce a solution. The horrific news of the Asian tsunami and the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina stimulated a creative response in Michael Pritchard to solve, cost effectively, the problem of dirty water - in any part of the world.

Michael Pritchard's clean water filter

"I've seen and met angels wearing the disguise of ordinary people
living ordinary lives."
Tracy Chapman

Do you use gratitude to get through difficult times? Are you finding that the challenges we are facing are waking us up to something greater within us? Is there anyone you especially appreciate in your life?

I love to hear from you! Your responses mean a lot to me and I always value the time you take to contribute your thoughts and ideas.

Please feel free to comment below, or contact me at [e-mail].

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Comments

[Bariis]

BEAUTIFUL!

[brooklyncitizen]

HuffPost's Pick

One thing to acknowledge about myself is the practice of gratitude ( I can be lazy about other things). It is a prayer really and just calling forward that feeling of gratitude releases tension and allows a surrender; mostly it allows me to see that the challenge is manageable. Maybe we presume in our culture that tough times are not suppose to happen or be part of our experience, but it's as much a part of life as the good stuff.

The St Francis prayer is helpful...anything that shifts the focus away from personal pain is liberating.

Thank you for a beautiful post.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you, brooklyncitizen, for dropping by! And for your wonderful comment.

Yes, I agree with you, gratitude is a prayer. I think it was Meister Eckhart who said that the only prayer we ever need say is Thank You.

You said it all in your wise words here.

With love and blessings,
Anne

[Dr. Cara Barker - Huffpost Blogger]

HuffPost's Pick

Dear Anne,

I'm on my way out of town in an hour, but I simply could not leave the house without checking your blog. Your topic is one of the most important aspects of my life: the endeavor to cultivate gratitude. bluecollarworker really speaks to it so poignantly, as do your other readers. I want you to know that I am enormously grateful, Anne, for what is being created through your grateful Spirit: a real exchange on a level of relating that is substantial.

I am grateful for this moment, this breath, this life, this heart, your breath, your life, your heart touching mine.

In Sisterhood,

Cara

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dearest Cara,

What a joy to see you here - thank you for dropping by! I am so touched by your words. They make me feel very full. Those words too of the wonderful readers who have shown up and taken the time to contribute.

It is a beautiful sunny evening here. I have just come in from swimming in a warm clear sea that made me delirious with happiness and joy. Yes, and deeply grateful for so many gifts and blessings that I enjoy. My cup runneth over!

I so appreciate the sweet blessings of your presence here, your courage, your valour, your heart of determination and your loving.

May you continue to be richly blessed in every way.

Best love to you,
Anne

[bluecollarblogger]

HuffPost's Pick

Gratitude, or feeling thankful or appreciating where you are. How can I appreciate my life, my present station anymore than to look around me. How many times have you passed by some poor soul on the side of the road with the jack out changing a tire, and said to yourself, been there done that or glad thats not me. You instantly have an appreciation for an inflated rolling tire! As I watch the fires on TV, I appreciate where I live, I appreciate and am thankful that the homes burnt, are not my neighborhood. When I see the children, the mothers, the wives of battle worn countries, I thank God that no one is bombing my neighborhood. What does it take for us to have more gratitude? Awareness of the people of the world around us. How do we become aware, we slow down, we look, we acknowledge each other. By acknowledging you become real to me, when things get real, then we are aware. I go to work everyday, I thank God that I can, and when I walk in my patients rooms, I remember that it is them not me that is in the bed sick, and my gratitude for my health, my station, my life just went up. Want to get some appreciation for your own life, find someone worst off than you, and acknowledge them, by doing something for them. It will make you feel better about where you are at in life.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear bluecollarblogger

Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment and wise words. It is so true that most of us have a great deal to be thankful for. I love what you say about doing something for those who are worse off than we are.

God bless your generous spirit.

With love and blessings to you,
Anne

[khanti]

The basis of cultivating gratitude starts from our appreciation to our parents. They are the ones that nurse us from womb to our adult life. They protect us when we were tiny and fragile. Give nourishment to us, teach us how to walk, gave us perseverance to overcome obstacles and comfort us at times of pain.
So before we embark on a journey of gratitude take time to reflect on what should have done long overdue.
Here is an Indian story of gratitude;
In Southern India is celebrated a festival called Thaipusam. There are many story of this festival. The one I like the best is about their deities Murugan and Ganesan both children of Lord Shiva.
One day Lord Shiva wanted to test which of his two sons is the wiser so he called both of them to get him the most valuable gift they could find. Without hesitation Lord Murugan using his divine power disappeared and searched for the most valuable gift. Shortly he returned with the biggest gem that ever existed. Then Murugan placed the gem at the feet of his parents as offering. Turning to his other Lord Shiva asked, so what about you Ganesan, you have not ventured out to find your gift ? Ganesan who had stayed then postulated in front of his parents and said, "Lord. the most priceless gift are my parents." With that Lord Shiva acknowledge Gaenesan as the wiser one.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear khanti

Thank you very much for your comment and the beautiful story. What you say is so true in my experience. I certainly have so many causes to be grateful for the love my parents gave to me, and the many ways they expressed it to me.

I appreciate your reminder of the precious gift of life given to me by my Mum and Dad.

Blessings to you,
Anne

[Kari Henley - Huffpost Blogger]

HI Anne!
Great post. I love the comment from your reader about an online gratitude page- love that!

Over here in the US there is a lot of grieving for Ted Kennedy, and also a lot of inspiration for what an amazing man he was. Rising from unspeakable tragedy, he never retreated into melancholy, bitterness or sadness, but continued to fight for the lesser among us.

His example of giving a smile, a hand across the aisle, a phone call to a shocked constitutent or love to his nieces and nephews, sets an example for us all. I was so moved I decided to write about it this week...
Much Love
Kari

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi Kari,

How lovely to hear from you - thank you for dropping by!

What an inspirational person Ted Kennedy was. I hope that his example moves others to respond in similar ways. I am looking forward to reading your post a little later!

With much love and many blessings to you,
Anne

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

HuffPost's Pick

Hi Anne Gratitude is so very important in my life.

I have enormous gratitude for my blessed wife Deb.I am fortunate to journey in life with Deb as a partner and a best friend.
I am also full of gratitude for the friends in my life old and new.

I have gratitude for HH the Dalai Lama who we have met and has written the forward to our new book along with Robert Thurman a dear friend.

I feel gratitude for Arianna for creating the HuffPost. We have been blogging for the HP over 1 year now. It is probably the sanest read anyone could ask for.

Joyfully,

Ed

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

I am grateful that you just coined the term 'the sanest read anyone could ask for.'

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dearest Ed,

So good to hear from you.

I share your gratitude for Arianna having created HP. Next week, I plut up my 40th post and it has been such a wonderful experience for me - getting to know fellow bloggers like yourselves and our dear readers.

It warms my heart to learn how many are getting the message about the value of meditation through your articles. Keep up your fabulous sharings!

Once again, I do so appreciate your presence here.

With love and blessings to you,
Anne

[Ed and Deb Shapiro - Huffpost Blogger]

Anne - you are a jewel!

Treasure yourself,

Ed

[KristinNoelle]

It sounds like you took psych 1504 at Harvard. I remember doing gratitude exercises for this class during section...I actually hated it at the time because I was always stressed out and often went days without feeling grateful for anything. I'd be thinking "Hmmmm, I'm grateful that I didn't get run over by a car today...kinda."

Truth be told, I still don't like it. I feel like it's one of those things that will only work for people who happen to enjoy it. I do agree that expressing gratitude toward others can be beneficial, but for me I feel the benefit is mostly due to the fact that being grateful causes others to be nicer to me return, not because it makes me realize that my life is so great.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear KristinNoelle

I really appreciate your comment, thank you! I was never anywhere near psych 1504 at Harvard. I can understand how you could have hated doing gratitude exercises. When I was growing up, I was told to write thank you letters for birthday and Christmas presents, or else I might not get presents the next year. So I did them as a routine. I know what you mean about gratitude being a kind of trade off.

My feeling is that if gratitude is a dry intellectual exercise, or an obligation of some kind, it is pretty soulless and empty. Experience has taught me that the feeling of being grateful, sometimes to no one in particular, causes me to relax and feel better about my life. Especially if I have been feeling down or discouraged in some way.

When I can replace inner whinging, moaning and complaining with seeing beauty in and around me and appreciating it, then my mind opens and I feel more motivated and inspired to go forward. I suppose it is something of emotional, rather than intellectual, education. No degrees for it, other than a greater degree of happiness.

With love and blessings to you,
Anne

[KristinNoelle]

Thanks for the response. Maybe I'll try to give it a more honest try now that the stresses of college life are over and I have more life experience to look back on.

[instagladiator]

This is just one of the many parental duties which should be instilled in children at a very early age and practiced until, and even after (as the case may be), the child leaves home?

[MerhabaAbi]

HuffPost's Pick

Hi Instagladiator,

I'm glad I read comments before posting. This is one of the more important parental duties. A child's view of the world comes through their senses and a lot of the interpretation comes from their parents. As mundane ias it may seem, I expressed to my sons my gratitude for a warm house, electricity, running water and the availability of a car for transportation. I didn't mention it once, they heard my "philosophy" often and it started when they were young. Thankes for adding that perspective to Anne's wonderful article.

peace,
little brother

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear little brother,

Thank you very much for your contribution to the discussion. I love the philosophy you expressed to your sons. What a wonderful gift you gave to them.

With love,
Anne

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear instagladiator,

Thank you for your comment. Good point you make here.

I agree that being grateful is a really valuable lesson to be learned growing up. I suspect that children growing up in a family that has a grateful outlook on life will learn more from that example, than being told that is what they should be doing.

An attitude of gratitude really can promote greater peace of mind and well-being, which can make for happier, more contented adult lives.

With warmest good wishes,
Anne

[TomZart]

THE POWER Of COURAGE


Besides loving God, we need courage
Obeying His laws requires bravery.
For the power of sin is always festering
As evil condemns man’s soul to slavery.

God travels with us inside our spirit
Forewarning that which is right or wrong.
Satan tags along tempting our resolve
Spreading his doctrine by video and song.

God promises to defeat our enemies
If we retain faith and observe His rules.
We’ll still face battles to preserve our soul
As we endure the blindness of fools.

All of Gods heroes depend on courage
To overcome the dilemmas of strife.
God wants us to follow in His footsteps
As we practice His majesty of life.


PLEASING GOD


Lots of us wish to please God
But we really don’t know how.
His ways are higher than our ways
Because we’re wicked, week and foul.

God works according to His schedule
Which sometimes is a problem for man.
His love, grace, wisdom and understanding
Keep believers obedient to command.

We have no choice but to obey
Following His Holy Spirit and Word.
By living to conform to His righteous
Our passage to glory is assured.

We see God’s works in the lives of others
How exciting and fascinating it is.
God can do the same for us as well
As our purpose becomes the same as “His.”


By Conservative Poet
Tom Zart
Most Published Poet
On The Web

[gparks]

If God is omnipresent, all-powerful, omni-potient, the beginning and the end, the ONLY power, present in all places at all time at the same time .... then where is there room for a Satan, evil or Devil ... please stop putting fear (false images appearing real) into people! There is ONLY GOD! All good all times and you and I are part and parcel GOD individualized ... the life you expereience is GOD! ALL there is IS GOD!

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Tom,

Thank you very much for taking the time to comment here. In my experience, listening to the wisdom of my intuition, and to my highest intentions for life, leads me to greater joy, peace of mind and fulfilment. When I am full inwardly, I find there is no room for anything less than goodness to be present in me.

Being grateful for everything in my life, the good and the so called bad, helps me to maintain the fullness and awareness of the love that is always present.

May you be abundantly blessed in all ways, always,
Anne

[DiogenesOfAlaska]

HuffPost's Pick

Given that Mr. Pritchard's innovation has saved more lives than the deeds of all the saints of the world combined, it seems fair to say that he is indeed an angel wearing the disguise of an ordinary man.

I think it's safe to say that there's much gratitude coming his way.

In fact it is so overwhelming that it's almost sickening to think of the lives that were lost or are still lost because the bottle comes too late. We may not even be equipped to handle the sadness resulting from that, as human beings.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Diogenes,

It is always a treat to see and read you here! Thank you.

I should say there is much gratitude coming Michael Pritchard's way. I feel deeply in my bones that however dreadful are the events in the world, there are nevertheless extraordinary human beings with tremendous creative capacity for innovation and invention. We are a remarkable human tribe.

It seems to me that we may not be able to eliminate feelings of sadness or loss. They seem to go with the territory of being human. But we can certainly learn from them and develop greater understanding, compassion and empathy for those who go through those feelings. There is much we can yet do to alleviate the harshness of life as it is for some people.

With love and appreciation to you,
Anne