Are you feeling down lately? Maybe what you need to pick you up is a spoonful of gratitude!
While taking my walk today, I stopped and talked to one of the neighbors. He is a nice guy who my husband and I have friended, but he seems to go on and on about the things others have done him over the years. Undoubtedly, he has dealt with many disappointments during his life, and I am sure he was mistreated a time or two (or more). But I wanted to know what I could say to him to help him see life from a different perspective.
While pondering the thought, I remember all I learned in my coaching program about forgiveness. You know the adage: Wallowing in unforgiveness is like taking poison, hoping the other person dies!
I thought about that for a while, wondering if that thought would help me during a time of stress due to the actions of another person. No, I didn’t think it would.
Then I read a Proctor Gallagher Institute article about women seeking balance in her life:
… something caught my eye. It was a headline that said something to the effect of “Gratitude, Nature’s Cure All.” Apparently, a heaping spoonful of gratitude is all an unbalanced soul needs.
… I wanted gratitude strategies. Something I could implement in just a few seconds at the beginning or end of each crazy busy day.
I scrolled swiftly and found a link claiming Oprah attributed her massive success to a gratitude journal. Jackpot! …
Of course, how could I forget the value of keeping a gratitude journal?
Finding things to be grateful for was a life-changing practice for me. Keeping a journal takes this a step further by helping your mind focus on the good things in life rather than wallowing in life’s misfortunes.
After practicing gratitude regularly, our minds automatically start looking for the blessing around us. We do have the power to reset our minds. Practicing a spoonful of gratitude is an excellent place to begin the process of making our lives richer and happier!