Gratitude has always been important to me. I believe that the best way to start your morning off is to feel grateful about something (or as many things as possible really), and then to let that positivity influence your whole day.
And I thought it would be good to share some of the reasons why.
What is true gratitude?
According to the dictionary, gratitude is …..
‘The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.’
The way I like to see it, gratitude isn’t just thanking the universe for something, it’s also simply just an acknowledgement that something good is happening, something for you to smile about!
And isn’t that important enough?
Well, what if I told you that gratitude could also outshine negativity?
When things feel negative or uncertain in life, it can be easy to feel sorry for yourself, to let sadness or anger take over. And that’s understandable – after all, life does come with pain, and the overall energy and emotions that you feel can and will change all the time.
The great thing about gratitude is that it can occur alongside sadness. You can’t always turn on ‘happy’ and you shouldn’t ever have to pretend to feel OK when you don’t.
But if you focus on what you are grateful for, you’re not letting any bad events have complete control on how you feel, and you’re less likely to compare your life to someone else’s whose life may seem easier or better in comparison.
Comparisonitis can be fatal!
Even when things are at their darkest, there is always something you can be grateful for. A friend ringing to see how you are. The sun shining. Your dog giving you cuddles. By allowing your focus to go to what you are grateful for, it creates a positive energy – even when everything else is terrible.
Gratitude is beneficial to both your mental and physical wellbeing.
It’s been scientifically proven that people who tend to practise gratitude on a daily basis have higher sleep quality, lower stress levels, and an overall higher amount of positive emotions – and yes, that does include happiness.
This isn’t just the simple rule of positivity leading to positive outcomes – in fact I believe there’s a specific reason for this.
You see, if you feel grateful for who you are, where you are, and what life has given you, then the chances are you probably care more about your life than those who aren’t as grateful. That might sound harsh – so let me explain.
Think about it this way – if people who care about themselves start feeling a little under the weather, they’re more likely to go to see a doctor than someone who doesn’t care as much (this is also scientifically proven!). This leads to them doing what they need to do in order to heal – whether it’s eating healthier, exercising – or maybe the opposite, and they need rest!
Whether mental or physical, a grateful person is much more likely to care for their health and take the necessary steps in order to look after themselves.
Gratitude even boosts your relationships.
That’s right – individuals who experience gratitude also have a habit of being grateful for those around them.
This leads to those around them picking up on their positive energy and likely being impacted to feel the same sort of way – or as I’d like to say, feeling the love.
It’s simple really – hearing that someone feels grateful just to have you around would make YOU feel better to have THEM around too, wouldn’t it?
How you can be grateful!
The best way to start feeling grateful is to ask yourself questions. What’s something someone did for you that you’ll never forget? What never fails to put a smile on your face? What would you miss if it was gone?
Even if it’s the smallest things, like just being able to look up at the sun and say, ‘Today is a new day.’ there will always be something to be grateful for.
Cheryl xx
PS – The genetic blueprint really helps with understanding who you are and what you are here to do – fill in this 2-minute questionnaire and I will send you your own ‘genetic blueprint’ which will help you understand yourself so you can begin to find your why! You will find it here.
PPS – If the link doesn’t work for any reason (sometimes technology has a bad day) then email me on cheryl@cheryl-chapman.com and I will sort it out for you!
PPS – If you liked this blog and want to read more blogs surrounding female empowerment, you can find last week’s here: ‘How To Speak…to Yourself!‘
“I’m on a global mission to help 10 million disheartened souls, who are at a crossroads, to STOP asking why me? And START saying why not me!”