The Power of Gratitude
How gratitude helps you recognize what is already good in your life and can change the way you experience your life as a whole
When things are going well, it’s easy to feel gratitude. But, when the going gets rough, maintaining a positive attitude can be a huge challenge. We all know how that goes.
Challenge or no, how we view our life has a monumental effect on our health and welfare.
For this reason alone it may be worth making an effort to shift our perspective.
Studies in neuroscience and epigenetics have shown what wisdom traditions have long taught:
the words we speak and the thoughts we repeat influence how the body and emotions respond.
In practical terms, the body listens to the mind. The words we say to ourselves have an effect on how we feel.
Focusing on what is lacking interferes with feeling gratitude and drains the energy that supports our well-being.
Our beliefs change our biology.
A few years ago, I noticed that the way I began my day influenced the way it unfolded and how it felt, physically and emotionally.
I adopted an ‘attitude of gratitude’:
I began each day saying “THANK YOU”—even when I didn’t always feel it, because simply saying those words silently or aloud gave me a boost..
Eventually this practice changed my life. Not only did it uplift me, but it also seemed to magnetize more things to be grateful for!
I go so far as to give thanks for the lessons that aren’t always easy, but that guide me toward growth.
Also, deciding to consciously noticing the things in our life that enhance it with a THANK YOU, is a practice that builds that feeling within and gradually changes how we experience our days. It helps you recognize what is already supporting your life.
Over time, gratitude becomes less something we try to practice, and more something we naturally begin to feel.
When perspective changes, experience changes.
You might find it helpful to make gratitude part of your daily rhythm in a simple but powerful way.
A practice I often suggest is to use a string of beads—a rosary, mala, or even a necklace—and repeat the words THANK YOU once for each bead. Allow yourself to feel the meaning of the words as you say them, as much as possible.
The full Gratitude Practice appears in my eBook Thrive at Any Age, available through this site.
If you feel ready to bring more balance, clarity, and ease into your daily life, I invite you to schedule a free 20-minute conversation with me. Many people find that even one short conversation helps them recognize what direction feels right for them next.
