“If in your life the only prayer you recited was a simple ‘thank you’, it would be enough” – Meister Eckhart
It is wonderful to see how a single, simple and positive action can change so much in a person’s life. One of the simple actions capable of having an extraordinary effect in my life is the realization of the power of gratitude. Be grateful. Simply saying thank you .
Gratitude has had a positive impact on me in practically every aspect of my existence. It made me, I think, a better person. A more positive, more productive person. Surely it contributed decisively to make me happier. I’m not perfect, of course, but gratitude helped make me better .
Can you change your life in the same way? I really think so. I have no doubt that the simple act of gratitude, adopted as an integral part of daily life, can change everyone’s life, in a positive, profound and immediate way. I do not think we can say the same about many other actions.
Let’s take a look at how you can make gratitude become an integral part of your life, and how it can change it. Those that follow are simply examples, based on my experience and those with whom I have had the opportunity to speak, and certainly not all will be suitable for you. But try to follow the suggestions you think may work.
Table of Contents
1. Say hello to the new day.
In the morning, take a minute to think about the people who did something nice for you, that helped you get better. Think about who makes your everyday life special, who gives you a smile, who listens to you and is close to you. Think of the people who love you and thank you deeply inside of you.
It may seem trivial, but this will immediately make your day better and help you get started on the right foot. Is there a better way to use just one minute?
2. When you are having a hard day… make a list of the things for which you are grateful.
We all have bad days sometimes. We are stressed out of work. Someone has scolded us. We have lost a loved one. We hurt someone we love. We have lost a contract or poorly executed a project.
Well, I think one of the best ways to make a bad day more enjoyable is to make a list of things for which we are grateful.
There are always many things to be thankful for, even if sometimes we tend not to remember it – our loved ones, health, work, a roof over our heads, clothes, friends, and life itself.
3. Instead of acting in anger, show gratitude.
This is a radical change of attitude and therefore not always easy to put into practice. But I assure you that it is really worth the effort.
If someone, maybe a colleague of yours, has made you nervous or angry about something he said or did… bite your tongue and do not react with anger. Take deep, relaxed breaths and try to think about the reasons why you should be grateful to that person. Did he do something nice for you? Have you ever shown love you, even through a small gesture? Find something, anything, even if it’s not easy. Focus on the reasons why you are grateful to that person.
This will slowly change your mood. You will feel the rage and the resentment you felt until just a little while ago. And if you feel better, show that gratitude to the person who made you nervous or angry. This will further improve your mood and relationships with others.
4. Instead of criticizing your partner, show him gratitude.
The principle to be applied is the same as the previous point, but I would like to highlight how gratitude can also positively influence a marriage or a relationship.
If you constantly criticize your wife, for example, your marriage will slowly end up crumbling – this is guaranteed. It is important to discuss and address problems, but nobody likes to be continually criticized.
On the contrary, when you feel the impulsive impulse to express criticism to your partner, stop and take a deep breath. Relax and think about the reasons you are grateful for. And express this gratitude immediately. Do it whenever you can.
Being thankful to your partner for everything that’s right for you will make your relationship stronger. Your partner will learn from you and do the same, showing you his gratitude. Your love will grow and everything will seem in the right place.
5. Instead of complaining about your children, be thankful for having them.
Many parents feel frustrated because of their children. Children do not listen to them, they do not obey, they answer badly, they scream, and so on. Unfortunately, sometimes parents transmit this frustration directly to their children, with effects that are certainly not positive for their well-being.
Try to follow the method above with your children: instead of getting angry, try to calm down and think about the reasons that make you grateful to have those beautiful children. Is there anything more beautiful in the world?
And try to get in the habit of teaching them, without criticizing them.
6. When you face a difficult challenge in your life, try to be grateful.
Some people conceive difficulties necessarily as something not positive. If something goes wrong, then you have the right to complain. It’s time for self-pity. But this will not get you anywhere.
Instead, try to be grateful for the challenge you are facing – it is an opportunity to grow, learn, become better. Not bad, right?
7. When a tragedy hits you, be grateful for the life you still have near you.
Recently I lost a loved one. These tragedies can be devastating for each of us. But they can also be an opportunity to help us to appreciate more intensely the life that has remained around us.
Be grateful for life in itself, yours and your loved ones. Demonstrate love for the beauty of life. Take these opportunities to remember how much you love the people you have close and how happy you are to live your life with them.
8. Instead of looking at what you are missing, appreciate what you have.
Have you ever looked around you and thought you did not get the most out of it? That the place where you live is not the house of your dreams, that your car is not as beautiful as you would like, that some friends have a better job than yours?
If so, you’re not the only one, but these are perfect occasions to remind you to be grateful for everything you already have. It is easy to forget that there are hundreds of millions of people who have much less than you, who do not own a car and who will never have it, who do not have a job and can hardly have a roof to shelter.
Compare your life with those of these people and be thankful for everything you have. Think about how you can share it with those who have less. Think that what you have is already more than necessary, that happiness is not a destination – happiness is already here.
“Today I’m lucky because I woke up, because I’m alive, because I have a precious life in my hands, and I will not waste it. I will use all my energy to improve myself as a person, to expand my heart to others, to enlighten me for the benefit of all living beings, I will behave kindly with others, I will not get angry and I will not have evil thoughts towards the next , I will try with all my being to do good to others “ – Dalai Lama
