9 Ways Gratitude Influences Your Life

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings."

~William Arthur Ward

I first want to take a moment and express my gratitude on this Veteran’s day to all of those past and present who have served our country. I am deeply grateful for the freedoms that their sacrifice and service has provided to myself and countless others.

Having a Gratitude Practice and Gratitude Journal is essential for me. And today and this Thanksgiving is a time for me to celebrate in a BIG way all I have to be grateful for.

Here are 9 Reasons Practicing Gratitude can influence your life for the better

1)  It strengthens your relationships. You create a deeper connection with those you care about by letting them know why you are grateful for them.

2)  It builds relationships. People want to be around grateful and positive people. It is uplifting and draws positive energy into your life that opens you up to more success in the areas you want to improve upon.

3)  It improves your health. The body as a whole functions at a higher level and the immune response is greater when there is an attitude of gratitude.

4)  It reduces stress and in general makes you happier. Endorphins get released when you express gratitude, allowing your body to operate in a naturally “happy” state.

5)  It helps you realize what you DO have. If you only focus on what you don't have you will always feel cheated. By focusing on what you DO have and being grateful for those things, you will begin to feel filled and brimming with joy from all the beauty and abundance you realize is surrounding you.  

6)  It opens up opportunity to receive more good things to you. By being grateful for the things you have in your life, you open up possibility to more of what you want

7)  It opens up your thinking to new solutions. When focusing on a problem it is often difficult to see a way through. By focusing on and being grateful for the things that ARE working in that situation, and asking how it could be better with gratitude, new ideas for solutions flow more easily.

8)  It puts situations in perspective. This helps you see the good things happening in your life and makes it more difficult to stay stuck in complaining mode.

9)  By simply noting one or more things to be grateful every day your life can begin to drastically change your life for the positive. Being grateful for the small things in life lead to being grateful for bigger things.

I keep a simple Notebook with me always that I write down throughout the day things I notice I am grateful for. Try it out and see what happens in your life.

Practicing Gratitude is a skill worth developing. And is broken down into these 3 steps:

·         Recognize what you are grateful for –Notice all the things around you!

·         Acknowledge it – Express it, say it, write it down

·         Appreciate it –Feel it!

Now, go have a GRATITUDEFULL day!

Yes. You Matter. Own Your Value. Be Grateful. It's all about You. And it's about being In Touch In Life.

Teresa Lea, BA NCLMBT # 1804

If you found this of value and want to find out about Teresa Lea and her work and  more ways to care for yourself, go to www.InTouchInLife.com  or call 336-623-9138