Gratitude

Hi there and welcome back to the blog. I want to specially thank all of you who continuously join me here on the blog each month, where I share with you all things transformational, inspirational and educational.  I also want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a happy New Year.

This month, our focus is on, “Gratitude”. As we came to the close of the year 2022, I know that many of us were eagerly looking forward to commence the new year and for some of you, a new chapter of your life. Usually, as it comes to the end of one year, we may start planning for the year ahead by setting goals or creating vision boards for ourselves. However, sometimes in our eagerness to plan for the future, we may not take a moment, to pause and reflect on our life or our journey over the past year. Furthermore, at this time of year we may become exhausted from the busy schedule which we had at Christmas time, from the cleaning and decorating of our homes to the preparation of family dinners or planning events. In the midst of the busyness of life, we may neglect to pause for a brief moment to take inventory of all the blessings which we received over the previous year. You see, when we neglect to take that personal time to be with ourselves, to acknowledge all of the blessings that we have been given in this life, we may easily become overwhelmed or our mental health may become negatively affected.

An article produced by Harvard University states, that “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

 Interestingly, as powerful as gratitude is for our body, mind and spirit, many people often find difficulty having an attitude of gratitude. One reason for this, may be due to the fact, that the human mind is made up of approximately 80% negative thoughts, as proposed by studies conducted on the human brain. As such, we may find it easier to identify the negative things in life or those things which we do not have, rather than those things which we do have. Furthermore, in this social-media driven world, where we have access at our finger tips to see the lives of others, we may find it easier to compare our life to someone else and thus we can start to overlook the simple treasures which we have been given in our own life.

It is important to understand that being grateful doesn’t only benefit you, but it also benefits those around you, because gratitude can help to strengthen relationships. As you express gratitude in your personal life, others are drawn to you and their interactions with you are a happier and heathier experience. With this in mind, I want to briefly share with you a very effective activity that can help you to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. I call it the Thankful 10.

In this activity, all you will need is 10 minutes out of your day to be alone with yourself. Shut out any external noises, breathe deeply and channel your inner thoughts to those things which you are thankful for in your life. When you have scheduled that personal “date” with yourself, what you will be required to do is to make a list of at least 10 things which you are absolutely grateful for. As you do this, you will start to recognise a slight change in your mood and mental state. As you do this, you will become more relaxed with a sense of peace.

 If you are having difficulty identifying your 10 things, then don’t worry. I am going to share some questions with you, to help guide your thoughts.

The questions are:

·        What were your accomplishments/wins over the year? – Please note that your accomplishments could be as big as receiving a university scholarship or getting your dream home or it could be as simple as staying committed to a task or overcoming a temptation. Whatever your wins were (big or small) over the past year, write them down. When you write down the things you are elated about, that simple act can foster happiness and wellbeing as it causes you to pause, focus, reflect and reinforce your positive experiences.

·        What were those things which you did that were outside of your comfort zone?

·        What are the areas in your life that you have seen growth and improvement in over the past year?

·        What were the new resources, things or people, that God strategically placed within your life over the previous year?

Your answers to those questions are all worth noting down. Sometimes, we may overlook the simple blessings in life. If you still have difficulty identifying your blessings, then don’t worry. I have one more bonus thing that may help you. Below is a list of different things that you can consider adding to your Thankful 10 list:

·        Good health                                      

·        Peace of mind

·        Talents (Specifically identify them in your list)

·        Family/ Friends (Write out their names)

·        Education

·        A Creator

·        Love

·        Joy

·        Peace

·        Mentors

·        Courage

·        Career/Job

·        A home

·        A vision for your life

All of these are just some simple things that you can express gratitude for.

When you have completed your list, I then want you to go 1 step further and celebrate yourself and those 10 things which you have identified that you are grateful for. In the upcoming months, take the opportunity to treat yourself to something special. It doesn’t have to be something large and extravagant. Just plan to do something which you enjoy.

As a young child growing up, working diligently at school was always the standard to be admired and upheld. On the occasions when I refused to put in my best efforts, I was dissatisfied with my results because my grades were negatively affected.  One day I made the decision that going forward I would give my best efforts in whatever I go to do. When I made that decision and I began to work diligently, not only was I elated and grateful that my efforts paid off but my mother ensured I was rewarded and celebrated for my diligent efforts.

I encourage you to do the same, celebrate yourself and your accomplishments because you deserve it.  Everything you have noted on your list must be celebrated!!!

          As you have an attitude of gratitude and as you take time to celebrate yourself and your accomplishments, you will notice a positive change occurring in your life. Always, focus on what you have rather than what you don’t have.