GRATITUDE II
“Our brains are wired for negativity bias, which means we see the terrible before we perceive the good,” says Miriam Akhtar, a positive psychologist and author. This is instinctively the mechanism the brain adopts to detect danger for survival purpose. Hence to be able to cultivate the attitude of being grateful, we need to train ourselves to be thankful more often just by paying attention to our lives in a new way. What we regularly draw our attention to becomes stronger and brighter over time, much like a spotlight in the brain.
Gratitude is a choice, and it is liberating. We all have a choice between gratitude and resentment. You can’t have appreciation if you choose resentment. When you choose appreciation over resentment, you are removing bitterness from your life.
Here are some ways to practice gratitude, but it is essential you commit to starting:
1. Give thanks through prayers and psalms.
Psalm 107:1
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 7:17
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
2. Gratitude family talks — purposefully set out a particular time and day (and stick to it) to share grateful moments among the family by having a round table talk. Make your family aware that you are grateful for them. This help strengthens your relationship, the practice will also help inculcate an attitude of gratitude in children. They grow with this and continue the lifestyle.
3. Gratitude meditation — personally set out time to meditate on what you are grateful for. It could be first thing in the morning or before going to bed at night. It is worth stating that what you are grateful for does not necessarily have to be new unique things.
4. Gratitude journaling — writing what you are grateful for in a notebook, diary or journal, makes it more real and it allows you to always come back to it. Always add to your journal every day and always try to be specific. Ideally, your gratitude journal should be for your eyes only hence be free to express yourself in your writing.
A gratitude journal can be a source of strength in tough times. Gratitude journaling can help you find out and focus on what really matters to you. There are also gratitude apps that could be explored.
Here’s some ideas that can guide your journaling:
·Appreciate what you still have.
·Be grateful for people who have showed you empathy and compassion.
·Appreciate what you have gained.
·Appreciate the fact that your (five) senses functions.
·Be grateful about what you’re excited for.
5. Keeping a gratitude jar — Have a jar and whenever you have an occasion of gratitude, write it on a piece of paper and place in the jar. Then set a date to review it, for instance, New year’s eve, birthday or any day of choice. You’ll be surprised to see the benefits that you have enjoyed, and this makes you long for more of those moments.
A gratitude jar is a creative way to keep track of all the gifts in our life. Essentially, it’s a place where you can keep track of and store anything you’re grateful for. Write it down on a slip of paper and place it in your appreciation jar, whether it’s a person, a nice deed, or a positive aspect in your regular life.
6. Writing a gratitude letter — write a gratitude letter to someone who have impacted your life in one way or the other, writing to your spouse, parents, boss, friends will be a good place to start. This act, sends a deep sense of acknowledgement to the one you are writing to.
7. Visit some places that brings the consciousness of gratitude to you such as hospitals, graveyard, streets and places where you can have a view of nature.
Ecclesiastes 7:2
Better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.
Psalm 8:3–6
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honour. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.
Job 37:15–16
Do you know how God control the clouds and makes his lightening flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
Job 12:7–10
But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
Romans 1:20
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities — His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
8. Help others — this brings an awareness of being priviledged to you and hence prompt your action of being grateful by helping others.
1 Corinthians 4:7
For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
9. Spend quality time with your spouse and children. Time flies and before you know it, your children will leave home. The time spent with them is edged in their memories which they would be forever grateful for.
10. Avoid exposure to negative media or destructive content.
Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
11. Acknowledge when people do a good job, give recognition when it’s due at work and reward effort. Appreciate people who serve you in your community — the bus drivers, the shopkeeper, etc.
12. Post quotes and images that remind you to be grateful around your house.
13. Try and see the positive side in bad circumstances. Find an opportunity for growth in your mistakes.
14. Extend love to people who dislike you or people you dislike.
15. Call your parents regularly. Parents don’t just need money from their children especially the aged ones, they feel a sense of love when their children reach out to them. This makes them feel their children is appreciative of their labour over them.
Proverbs 23:25
Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
Exodus 20:12
Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Proverbs 17:6
Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.
Make appreciation a part of your daily routine to be the change you wish to see in the world. The world will be a better place if we all practice thankfulness more frequently.
You can also check my previous story here.
Dan Moore Kris Gage Wake Up Call P.S. I Love You @writingsolo
