The Attitude of Gratitude

There is a cycle of blessing that comes into our lives when we practice thankfulness. Your attitude will determine your altitude. I have discovered that this one word alone will work wonders. It will open doors. It will establish relationships. It will make people realize you recognize their effort, and it will make you memorable. Learn the power of the word “Thanks”.

The Attitude of Gratitude has two perspectives – Outward Expression and Inward Thanksgiving. In other words, the outward expression is what everyone sees (showing appreciation to others) and inward thanksgiving is what we know within ourselves (we are blessed). Gratitude means the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful. Demonstrating sincere gratitude takes energy and thought, and having an attitude of gratitude requires the conscious effort of being thankful. Why show gratitude? Is it just the right thing to do, or does it have some other value? By maintaining an attitude of gratitude with each new day, you develop lifetime habits:

1. You start appreciating what you have instead of dwelling on what you don’t have. This means that you stop comparing yourself to others – what they have (or what you think they have), what they do, and what is done for them. To compare is to kill your joy. Stop doing that, and be thankful for what you have.

2. You’ll have more peace and joy because your point of view begins on a positive note. Your outlook makes all the difference. People who are thankful and content are a joy to be around. On the other hand…people who are crabby, critical and constantly complain…. are not truly grateful people.

3. You’ll also handle challenges differently if you begin with an appreciative mindset. When you live in gratitude, your difficulties are seen in a different light. When we start looking for reasons to be grateful, our outlook will begin to change. The genuine gratitude we express outwardly will always be the result of our INWARD THANKSGIVING. We must know that we are truly blessed. Learn the essential trait of thankfulness, then live it. You will be living a life of more – more happiness, more contentment, and more blessings.