“Gratitude Makes Life Sweeter”

 

        If gratitude was an ingredient in a cake, it would be the sugar. Without it, things wouldn’t be as sweet as they could be. You’d still have enough ingredients to make something edible, like bread, but life would feel like you’re merely existing instead of living to the fullest.

There are 1, 440 minutes in a day. How much of that time have you used to think about what is good in your life instead of what’s bad. Have you focused on what you and others have done right rather than the wrong? Have you recalled what has been saved despite challenges or do you meditate on what has been lost? You create your own thoughts and gratitude is like medicine: it can heal a broken mind and heart.

While growing up, there was always a messenger somewhere who told me to count my blessings and encouraged me to be thankful for whatever I had. Often, I was reminded that things could be worse. Today, I am intentional about focusing on what I have rather than what I don’t; I choose to meditate on what is left instead of what I have lost. This is what allows me to find the treasures in the trials of life. Of course, being grateful is not always easy. Therefore, it is something we must choose for ourselves. Sometimes our problems can seem like large dark, ominous clouds hovering over us—they can be so overwhelming that we forget to wait for the rainbow after the storm. However, I can assure you that embracing a mindset of gratitude makes us feel better; it gives us hope and nurtures courage. Keep in mind though that a thankful heart doesn’t magically change your circumstances, but improved emotions allow us to be encouraged and motivated to take the actions necessary to overcome difficult situations.

For those who need validation from research, know that scientists are investigating the effects of having a thankful attitude and/or engaging in activities that express gratitude. What they have found is no surprise: the brain functions better when a person is grateful.

Here are a few ways to help you stay grateful: (1) keep a gratitude journal. Write down big and small things you feel fortunate to have in your life. Include special events and/or experiences that you feel good about. At the end of the year, read your gratitude journal and reflect on all the good that has happened. This is how I have ushered in New Year’s Eve for the last 26 years. It has helped me have a renewed sense of hope about the future and reinforced the gratitude for the positive things from the past; (2) write a thank-you letter to someone and mail it off. The recipient will feel happy about getting something other than a bill and you will feel good that he or she appreciated it; and (3) express gratitude by serving. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.” You don’t have to be a millionaire to help people. A smile is free. A sincere compliment is free. Letting someone skip you in line at the grocery store doesn’t cost a dime. Listening is free even if it means sacrificing a little time. Like all things you plant, that is what grows in your own garden. Sow gratitude and watch people show gratitude and kindness to you. I experience this cycle all the time and you can, too.

Lastly, and most importantly, don’t just think grateful thoughts, but express aloud what you appreciate in your life. Your words not only re-enter your own mind and heart, but they also bless others. This is your purpose. And remember, gratitude, whether given or received, is one of the sweetest feelings in the world.

With love,

C. Chérie Hardy

Copyright © by C. Chérie Hardy