Keeping an Attitude of Gratitude
by Louise Morganti Kaelin

When was the last time you stopped to acknowledge all the good things in your life? Very often, when we're focused on a 'big' goal, or just caught up in day-to-day living, we often forget about the things that bring us joy. And when we're feeling down, it's very hard to remember that they exist at all!

Yet there is a definite physiological response when we acknowledge our gratitude. Try it now. Close your eyes and think of something (or someone) you're grateful for. Notice how your breathing changes? How it slows down? That you start smiling? And just feel better in general?

It is amazing to me how something so simple can change my perspective. No matter what my attitude was when I started, I feel better. And the more things I can acknowledge my gratitude for, the better I feel. Here's a simple way to incorporate gratitude into your life on a regular basis.

1. Start your day off by remembering what you're grateful for. List everything you can think of. As you continue with this exercise on a daily basis, you'll notice that your list grows.

2. You can write these in a Gratitude Journal. Or, you can incorporate this exercise into your morning routine. What do you do regularly in the morning where your mind is free? Walk, shower, exercise, commute to work? Reap double benefits from what you're already doing by making that your 'gratitude time'.

3. Starting your day with gratitude puts you in a pretty good mood. So, when you get to work, begin with the hardest thing you have to do that day. I suspect you'll find it much easier to accomplish.

'Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.' -- Melody Beattie

See Also:

You Can Choose: Is Today Going to be a Good Day or Bad Day?
Every day you have a choice: Will it be a good day or a bad one? It really IS up to you. You can't control the external circumstances of your life but you can control your response to them.

Optimism: How to Avoid Negative Thinking
Have you ever wondered why some people feel down and defeated when faced with difficult situations, while others feel challenged and hopeful? Or why some people get all worked up and angry over small inconveniences and disagreements, while others respond more positively?

Focus On The Joy
Instead of focusing on the effort, FOCUS ON THE JOY. Focus on the people and things that are most important to you. Focus on the pleasure you get out of moving towards your goals. Focus on the process of creating something, not what results you expect.