It’s easy to make blanket statements about being grateful for what you have. For example, you might say that you are grateful for a certain person, for your health, for your job, etc. But how much are these messages really getting through to your daily thinking? Is this gratefulness for a moment or for a mindset? The reality is that our brains form habits of thinking patterns, and we can have an effect on this. However, re-wiring your brain isn’t as effortless as these blanket statements. In this article, I will show you how to start having an attitude of gratitude through different techniques that will last for more than just a moment.
1. Be Intentional
Instead of letting gratitude come naturally to you, be intentional about it. Just like any new habit, shifting your attitude will not be an effortless task. You must find ways to ensure gratitude makes an appearance throughout your day. A few examples of how you can do this is through meditation, a gratitude journal, reminders from an app on your phone, or even vision boards.
2. Catch Yourself Riding the Negative Spiral
Energy is contagious, whether it is positive or negative. If you find yourself with negative energy, ask yourself how you got it. Maybe it is as simple as a poor night of sleep, or maybe it is more complex such as developed thought patterns or the people you surround yourself with.
An attitude of gratitude is all about positivity. It is about seeing the glass half-full and being thankful for what you have rather than what you don’t. If you are bringing yourself negative energy, try practicing self-care. If you didn’t sleep well, take a nap! Or, schedule a day in your calendar when you can rest, and then look forward to it. If others are sharing their negative energy with you, try reading Negative Energy: How To Stop The Snowball Effect to learn how to set healthy boundaries and protect your energy.
3. Affirm Your Attitude of Gratitude
Use gratitude-based affirmations to encourage positive thinking patterns. To truly get the most out of your affirmations, it is best to set gratitude as your intention and practice them daily. With affirmations, I find they are most effective when I write them down, say them out loud, or a combination of the two! When determining your affirmations, make sure you keep things specific. Instead of saying that you are grateful to have good friends, you can say how you are grateful that your friends’ jokes bring you joy or that they are always just a phone call away. Here are more examples of gratitude affirmations:
I am grateful for…
- how far I’ve come.
- my family’s/friend’s/SO’s unconditional love.
- the beautiful weather today.
- having a job that helps me support myself.
- all the things my body allows me to do.
- my strong heart.
- waking up today to experience this day.
- my first cup of coffee in the morning.
- my happy place.
- the laughter others bring me.
Affirmations are also a great way to pull yourself out of a negative spiral through shifting your focus from the negative to the positive.
4. Practice Your Attitude of Gratitude With Others
Instead of just thinking to yourself that you are grateful for someone else, share this with them! A few examples of this include saying that you are happy to have them in your life, that you love the dinner they made for you, or that you are thankful they put in some extra work. This is an amazing way to spark that contagious, positive energy. As a result, it will make you smile, boost your relationship, and affirm your gratitude-based mindset.
I hope these 4 tips help you to start having an attitude of gratitude. Learning to have a grateful mindset may not happen quickly and easily. You might have to experiment with different strategies to implement the above tips based on your personality. But, it is worth the continued effort. Once you train your mind to adapt an attitude of gratitude, your entire outlook will grow in positivity.
If you are working towards an attitude of gratitude, comment below on what works best for you and how it’s going!