Honey, You Need New Glasses! Gratitude Looks Good On You

There was little for me to do, but paint my toe nails green. I signed the petition to help the people of Iran and then I dashed off to get a mani-pedi. Still thinking about Iran, I chose green for my pedicure. Perhaps, it was a silly little gesture. My toes were now the color of mold. As I looked at my fashion faux pas and felt a warm glow fill my body which seemed to affect my eyesight. I was grateful...for all the small details in my life.

Everywhere I looked I saw something to appreciate.

It was after 8:00 PM and the summer sky was still a powdery blue. The last few purple Jacaranda blossoms clung to the trees. Even the parking lot outside "Perfect Nails" had a luscious glow. It was as though I had a new pair of glasses.

Actually, there's an eyewear prescription we all need. Though these glasses aren't found in an optometrist's office. Nope. I haven't found a single doc dispensing them. What makes it so crazy is that the world would be a better place if we all wore them. I'm talking about Gratitude Glasses.

Clearer Vision
Negative focus clouds your sight. Gratitude lets you perceive past what's obvious and find the good. It makes situations pop into a new clarity. My friend, Scott Webb, is a person who is legally blind. He is one of the most effusively grateful people I know. Strange as it may seem Scott's gratitude and inner vision helped him to tune in to his brilliant inner vision and create brilliant television programming. Even though he was blind, he was the creative director that helped a twelve person start up grow into the industry leader, Nickelodeon. He taught me the power of gratitude when he said, "If someone offered to give me back my sight, I would turn it down. I've gained so much. I'm such a bigger person for having found the good in being blind. I found a magnificence I couldn't have seen with my eyes."

What gift might be waiting for you if you put on the glasses of gratitude?

In her post last week, Kari Henley brought the brilliant point of WIIFY (What's In It For You) regarding service. Here are some reasons for you to consider looking at your life through the lens of thankfulness.

They Got Out the Magnifying Glass
Leave it to some savvy researchers to put gratitude under the microscope. New studies are confirming that all the stuff you thought would make you happy--the turbo-charged new car, the two-week jaunt to Bora Bora, the closet full of new shoes--doesn't. An attitude of gratitude turns out to be a bigger predictor of who is feeling glad to be alive than a big ol' whopping bank account. Yep, just wearing Gratitude Glasses made the difference.

Happiness cuts across economic lines. Contentment can't tell the difference between a Camry and a Cadillac. Another study found that folks who were appreciative for what they had (whether they had a lot or a little) were as happy as the people who had the most. Wait. It gets even better. The people who were grateful for what they had, even if it wasn't much, were twice as happy as those who actually had the most stuff. Ha! What better proof? Get yourself a prescription for a pair of thankfulness lenses and watch your life transform.

In the Research Project on Gratitude and Thanksgiving, two researchers put the theory of gratitude to another kind of exam. They asked several hundred people to keep daily journals. The first group jotted down all of the day's occurrences, whether they were good or bad. The second group recorded only the day's lousy experiences. The third group compiled a daily list of only those things for which they were grateful. Hmmmm . Can you guess the result?

You Knew It.
The grateful group had measurably higher levels of energy, alertness, and determination as well as lower levels of stress and depression. And there's more. They were more likely to feel loved, and they were more likely to engage in acts of kindness towards others. People having more energy, feeling more loved, and being nicer to each other--yes indeed, our nation would be a better place if everybody wore Gratitude Glasses. And it only takes a second to put them on.

What are you grateful for? How are you expressing your gratitude? I would love to know.

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Eli Davidson is a nationally recognized executive coach and motivational speaker. Her book, "Funky to Fabulous: Surefire Success Stories for the Savvy, Sassy and Swamped", (Oak Grove Publishing) has won three national book awards. Eli is a reinvention catalyst, who can transform your professional and personal life from Funky to Fabulous with her ten, trademarked Turnaround Techniques that create rapid and remarkable results. Check out her blog at http://funkytofabulous.blogspot.com/

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Comments

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

Hi Eli,

Spooky, just yesterday I admitted to my son that yes, i do look at the world through rose colored glasses. He's a pretty optimistic guy himself but he thinks I over do it. I think it's hereditary. One of my mom's favorite sayings is "have an attitude of gratitude" I know she didn't make it up because I've seen it around a lot lately, but it is still a good reminder. I like to acknowledge when I see someone do something well, or put in effort for someone else's benefit or try their best regardless of outcome or any of many other positive actions.

Great post,
Thanks

[Eli Davidson - Huffpost Blogger]

Hi There,
Boy, what a wise family you are. It is great that your son partakes in your genetic proclivity to gratitude.

Having an attitude of gratitude is so powerful.

Thank you for sharing with us!

Eli

[Dr. Judith Rich - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Miss Eli,

GREAT article and GREAT reminder that in the midst of it all, the shock and sadness, the chaos and uncertainty, we have the capacity to frame our experience and choose where we want to focus.

I LOVE the green toe nail idea! Leave it to you. Mind if I join you? Am looking for the green bracelet as well. Let me know if you find a source.

Thank you for helping us remember to wear our gratitude glasses in such challenging times. You're the best!

Much love AND gratitude,
Judith

[vhs]

i wish more people would live wearing Gratitude Glasses. We all need to let others know how much we appreciate them.
(Makes me wonder if Michael Jackson really felt the appreciation for his genius from his multitude of fans. Sad to think that he had so much unhappiness in his life.)
I appreciate your articles, and the great reminders of living a life of gratitude.
thank you