“Gratitude opens the door to the power, the creativity, the wisdom of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” – Deepak Chopra
Gratitude is a quality of contentment that comes from appreciation for things, good or bad. It is an important element of happiness and practicing gratitude daily has many amazing benefits to the mind and your outlook on life overall.
Gratefulness changes your perception
Do you ever find yourself in a rut and can’t seem to get out of that state of mind? Taking a moment to really think about the things you are grateful for allows us to see things for what they are and become able to move forward with intention and a fresh perspective. Often we don’t even realise WHAT we are grateful for, but realising what those things are can give you something new to focus on.
Keeps you calm
It can be challenging to practice gratefulness when things are not going well or if you feel like someone is giving you trouble but you may be surprised with what you realise you appreciate when you carry out the practice of gratefulness. Can you think of one thing you are grateful for in regards to someone who makes you angry? Or for something that frustrates you? This practice starts to open the heart and appreciate the things that challenge allowing you to approach situations with good intention.
We realise what is important
Practicing gratefulness is close to a meditation practice. Taking the time to look within and look at things from the outside. When we start to explore what we truly appreciate, our visions and directions become clearer. It becomes easier to articulate what you want to express. You realise what you truly value within your life, which then translates to your actions and words.
Start by writing down what you’re grateful for today. It can be anything. Then ask, who are you grateful for? Start with this practice once a week, then try doing it each day. It doesn’t take long, something you could do over your morning coffee or your commute to work. See how much your perspective changes.
