Post by James Melbin on Oct 11, 2012 12:15:47 GMT 1
The key to lifelong success is the regular exercise of a single emotional muscle: gratitude.
People who approach life with a sense of gratitude are constantly aware of what's wonderful in their life. Because they enjoy the fruits of their successes, they seek out more success. And when things don't go as planned, people who are grateful can put failure into perspective.
By contrast, people who lack gratitude are never truly happy. If they succeed at a task, they don't enjoy it. For them, a string of successes is like trying to fill a bucket with a huge leak in the bottom. And failure invariably makes them bitter, angry, and discouraged.
Therefore, if you want to be successful, you need to feel more gratitude. Fortunately, gratitude, like most emotions, is like a muscle: The more you use it, the stronger and more resilient it becomes.
Below are two basic ways that you may express gratitude:
- First, put it into practice.
The best time to exercise gratitude is just before bed. Take out your diary and record the events of the day that created positive emotions, either in you or in those around you.
Did you help somebody solve a problem? Did you connect with a colleague or friend? Did you make somebody smile? Write them down.
You can also start with the commencing of your day as you rise up from bed, be thankful that you rose from sleep successfully yet another day.
If thank you is the only prayer you pray, it is enough. When you don¡¯t know what to pray about, simply start thanking God for all the gifts in your life. You don¡¯t have to wait till the end of the day to do it.
What you're doing is "programming your brain" to view your day more positively. You're throwing mental focus on what worked well, and shrugging off what didn't. As a result, you'll sleep better, and you'll wake up more refreshed.
More importantantly, you're also programming your brain to notice even more reasons to feel gratitude. You'll quickly discover that even a "bad day" is full of moments that are worthy of gratitude. Success becomes sweeter; failure, less sour.
The more regularly you practice this exercise, the stronger its effects. Over time, your "gratitude muscle" will become so strong that you'll attract more success into your life, not to mention greater numbers of successful (i.e., grateful) people. You'll also find yourself thanking people more often. That's good for you and for them, too. - Giving back
Nothing says thank you like giving back. If you are grateful for the food in your refrigerator, maybe you could volunteer and help feed those less fortunate. If you are grateful for the home you live in, you could volunteer and help build a home for someone who may not have one. There are hundreds of ways you can give back. Not only it helps you realize what you have to be thankful for, but it just feels good to do that.
Why must we express gratitude?
- When you feel grateful, it tends to be a lasting and selfless feeling. It's much more than just a momentary burst of positive energy; it has staying power that inspires you to reach your goals.
- Gratitude can mean better communication all around. By expressing your gratitude to strangers, they'll be more likely to show an interest in helping you as well.
Source.