Living In Gratitude: 12 Ways To Be Grateful Every Day

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May you experience all the levels of thankfulness and the soul-gifts that each offers. For then it will be truly possible to give and receive joy every day of your life. ~ M.J. Ryan

Here are 12 simple things we can do to add gratitude to our lives.

1. Practice gratitude every day. Write in a journal, in an email to a friend, around the dinner table with your family… However you incorporate it, make gratitude a routine.

2. Create visual or auditory reminders. Signs around your home, pop ups on your computer or online calendar, reminders on your cell phones.

3. Focus on the good in life rather than the bad. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Kindness

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Know that your kindness has a ripple effect in the universe.

Just like gratitude, kindness is powerful. It can have an enormous impact on the world. Opportunities to be kind are all around us, each and every day. When we spread the seeds of kindness, we help others and also fill our own souls and hearts.

Kindness is a virtue and is a much-sought after value in many cultures. No act of kindness is every wasted. It is even possible to be kind to those for which we have no fondness. The smallest act of kindness is worth more that the greatest intention and is appreciated a thousandfold. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Happiness & Joy

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Joy. The kind of happiness that doesn’t depend on what happens. ~David Steindl-Rast

If you look up the word joy and happiness, they are often used synonymously.

But, are they really the same?

Gratitude guru, Robert Emmons, believes there is a fundamental difference between the two.

When we are happy, says Emmons, it is primarily a result of external experiences. Happiness is also momentary because it is based on events. We feel happy when we get a promotion, do well on an exam, buy that new car, outfit, home or other material item. Happiness is an emotional response to having what we want. This temporary emotional response is fleeting once the outside event has been achieved.  Read more

Living In Gratitude: Living Authentically

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Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else. ~Judy Garland

We tend to base our idea of who we are on our everyday roles. We alter who we are based on our role as parent, spouse, friend, sibling as well as what we do in our jobs or what professional qualifications we possess. We may even change our personas in different social situations, acting out of character because we think we have to do so to fit it. Fundamentally changing who we are to fit our various roles hinders our ability to truly be our authentic selves at the deepest level.

Research suggests that authentic people are well-liked and benefit from social support and other positive outcomes associated with experiencing close relationships.

Being genuine allows us to always be a first-rate version of ourselves. At the same time, it is important to not hide behind a veil of authenticity as an excuse to avoid uncomfortable situations.   There are always instances when we need to explore outside our comfort zone in order to learn and grow both personally and professionally. It is possible to be both authentic while evolving our personal style and identity. Read more

Living in Gratitude: 5 Ways to Appreciate Yourself

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You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. ~Buddha

Appreciating ourselves may seem somewhat ego-driven. But consider the fact that each of our relationships depend upon our relationship with ourselves. If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t possibly love others. If we don’t respect ourselves, odds are we won’t make respectable choices. If we don’t value our time, we may not use time in a way that is the most valuable.

The way we treat ourselves determines how we treat the world around us. Just as important as acknowledging everything else in life that we are grateful for, it is equally important to recognize the good we each do each day for ourselves, for others and for the world around us.

Below are 5 things we can do to boost the appreciation of ourselves.

 

  1. Acknowledge our accomplishments

We often compare ourselves against others. Their success, how much money they make, their possessions, even how many “Likes” they get on Facebook or other social media outlets. But rather than benchmarking ourselves against the accomplishments of others, we should consider what we have achieved.

When we focus on the truth of who we are and what we have accomplished, we can begin to appreciate ourselves, our talents and gifts and our contributions to the world.

  1. Change the conversation in your head

When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about yourself, your achievements and who you are, stop them in their tracks. Change your inner dialog to one of appreciation for who you are and what you’ve accomplished. Rather than telling yourself you can’t and won’t, or are in a state of constant struggle, look at the good.  Read more

Living in Gratitude: Morning Rituals for Success

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Every morning starts a new page in your story. make it a great one today. ~Doe Zanamata

Studies prove that our willpower is at its peak in the morning. Establishing a morning ritual allows us to set our intentions for the day ahead. Mornings are the ideal time to create a routine and set priorities, as this minimizes becoming distracted by other less important things and helps keep stress at bay. It also ensures we achieve what we set out to do before our body and mind fatigue.

Here are 10 steps to creating a morning ritual for success.

  1. Go to bed early

The proper amount of sleep is necessary for mental and physical health. It boosts our creativity, productivity and ability to handle the challenges and opportunities the next day will bring.

  1. Get up an hour early

Although this sounds unappealing to many and will take some time to adjust to, research shows that early risers are more optimistic. They consciously anticipate problems and are able to minimize them effectively, a critical skill to success in our lives and careers. It also allows us to have quiet time along to plan and prepare.  Read more

Living in Gratitude: Stop Taking Things Personally

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There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.” ~Don Miguel Ruiz

Most of us have taken something someone else has said personally. If someone says something negative, we may get angry or upset. And when we continually rely on others saying positive things to make us feel good, we allow them to determine our self worth and confidence. Both negatively affect our self-esteem, our relationship with ourself and with others.

When we stop taking things personally, we realize that what other people say and do is not about us at all; it’s about them.

According to Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the Four Agreements, nothing others do is because of us. Their words and actions are a projection of their own reality, their own feelings, beliefs and issues. When we become immune to the opinions and actions of others, be they negative or positive, we are no longer allowing ourselves to be victims.

Three incredible things occur when we refuse to take things to heart.

1.We become the ruler of our own emotions and get clear direction for our life. When we take the things other people say personally, both negative and positive, we are in effect handing over control of our emotions and our life to someone else.  But when we choose to no longer take things personally, we are then in charge of our emotions and our actions. What other people think or expect of us no longer has an impact. We follow our heart, believe in ourselves and do what is best for us and our lives without being influenced by outside pressures. Read more

Living in Gratitude: 4 Ways to Make Your To Do List More Achievable

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People are remarkably bad at remembering long lists of goals. The longer the lists of to-dos and goals, the more overwhelmed and off-track we become. Clarity comes with simplicity. ~Brendon Burchard

Most of us have To Do lists, whether written on a piece of paper or logged into our SmartPhone. Do you often find yourself looking at your list and thinking, “There is no way I can get these all done?”

Well, there is a way to write a To Do list that allows us to achieve the items on that list but also to make ourselves feel good once we’ve completed them. This new way of approaching our To Do list will free us of guilt, allow us to focus on productivity, prioritize our tasks, and master a new way to be.

Below are 4 ways to make your To Do list more achievable while also feeling rewarded and motivated in the process.

1. Write it down
Research shows our brains have a limited capacity for short term memory. As soon as a To Do item pops into your mind, jot it down. Once its in our journal, on a piece of paper or in our phone, then we don’t have to worry about trying to remember that task and we can focus on the other items at hand. Keep a running list of all tasks and pull from that list to compile a daily list. Read more

Living In Gratitude: How To Live a Successful Life

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This simple, sweet poem offers sound advice on living a life of authenticity, appreciation, acceptance and understanding. When we strive to be kind, patient, gentle and gracious, we open our hearts to everything and everyone around us. It nurtures respect of ourselves as well as that of others. By following these guidelines, we will make a positive impact on the world around us.

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in a word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge. Read more

Living In Gratitude: Finding Your Zen at Work

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When we know how to take care of our strong emotions and to establish good relationships at work, communication improves, stress is reduced, and our work becomes much more pleasant. This is a huge benefit not only to ourselves, but also to those we work with, to our loved ones, our families, and the whole of society. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Each of us spends a considerable amount of our daily lives at work and we should use this time to create a better world, challenge ourselves and creating a sense of personal growth and enjoyment.

Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, credited with being the father of mindfulness in the West, has developed a checklist to ensure that we stay in balance and are able to see our work in the context of creating a better world.

Here are Thay’s 15 practical steps to bring mindfulness to our work:

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