Follow“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” — Thornton Wilder
If you’re reading this, you may or may not have come across articles or books about this topic before. If you have, this article will not be a waste of your time. The fact is, gratitude is something that we often forget to exercise. And hence, it often becomes the root cause of unhappiness, greed, envy or even physical illnesses. All these will trap and plague us, blinding our eyes to the treasures in our lives laid before us everyday.
Of course, you may think that this is an extreme point of view. Why should I even care about missing the treasures in my every day life? My life is fine the way that it is, and I have the right to pursue my next big house or car, or that up and rising colleague whom I can make use of to advance my career plan. However readers, I strongly urge you to read on to know how you can discover the secret of abundance and wealth and riches.
Gratitude is an important discipline to exercise. As mentioned in the quote above, we are alive only when our hearts are aware of the treasures that we already have. This refers to everything that we possess in our everyday lives. Be it our family, health, bank account, pet dog, neighbors or computer. Of course, you can have many reasons why each of these things is a hassle and frustrating problem instead of being a treasure. However, the fact is that we have the power to change the way we perceive the things around us. And only when we start seeing the things around us as blessings and treasures, then will we discover life in riches and abundance and happiness.
Below are several steps that will help you exercise gratitude.
1) Set aside time to be thankful, to remember the happy and nice things that have been happening in your life Your first thought for each day will pretty much determine how the rest of your day will be like… Only if you set your mind to do it. Force yourself to look at the bright side. It will surely be tough and seem pointless initially, but in the long run, you will see life in a positive light, and the daily challenges of life will seem much more manageable. You do not need too much time to practice this, simply take one minute each morning. It will make a lot of difference.
2) Look at the things you have, and not the things you don’t This is definitely something that does not come naturally. With the media and society bombarding us with messages that what we have is not enough, we are always open to greed and desiring things that others have and we don’t. A. Frank Clark once said that, “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” And this is definitely well said. When we are contented with the things that we have, we will not be in a constant state of pursuing after things that we don’t have.
3) when you face a challenge, be grateful for it Aspire to learn something from each challenge, instead of grumbling about it. That way, challenges will be seen as invaluable periods of growing and learning rather than parts of life that we fear and strive to avoid at all costs. Most people who have a positive and successful outlook of life do not have things easy for them, nor are they problem- free. But they are determined to overcome the problem, and not allow the problem to overcome them.
Of course, the list is non exhaustive. And, different people will have different ways of finding contentment. For some, it may be spending the night having a simple meal with his family. Or for others, it can be a short walk in the park admiring nature and the environment around us. It may also be sitting still, wherever we are, listening to our breathing and being conscious of our body functioning.
Whatever it may be, do not delay anymore. Make it a priority to practice gratitude. And from there, you will find the power, treasures and wealth that you are already possessing.