An Attitude of Gratitude

Stress Management

Begin today by acknowledging the people in your life for which you are grateful.

There are two types of people – those who want what they want and those who want what they have.

Those who want what they want are always chasing the next “thing,” the thing they think will make them happy, impress others, or give them the sense that they’ve “arrived.” The simple fact is there is always a next “thing” and these same folks just never seem to be happy.

Now the other folks, the ones that want what they have, they are content and happy. They are the ones who have true gratitude in their lives and they feel blessed by all good things that come their way. They’ve learned that “things” don’t make you who you are, attitude does, and an attitude of gratitude is the attitude to have. Why? Because thankful people always seem to get more of just what they need, and they don’t even have to chase it down, it just comes their way naturally.

It’s easy to sit there and complain about your lot in life, what’s not fair, who has more than you and doesn’t deserve it and cry “poor me.” When you regularly hold your “itty-bitsy-pity-party,” you not only tend to attract more of the same into your life, but more of the same type of people who are just like you, never satisfied, always miserable.

Instead, develop an attitude of gratitude and a thankful heart, and you not only influence those around you, you will attract more thankful people to you.

Want to develop an attitude of gratitude? Count your blessings. Write them down – everything you are grateful for in your life. (The real art is being thankful for, and seeing the blessings in adversity, disappointment and unpleasant circumstances. Look carefully and you’re bound to find the silver lining!) Add to your list each day and watch it grow. Although you might find this exercise difficult at first, you should soon find it easy to find something to be grateful for each day – that’s when you start getting the green lights and the parking spaces right up front – even though walking a bit further is healthier for you!