It is so easy to live a life focusing on all the negative things happening in life. A few modern day examples you may relate to all too much: It is so easy to watch the news and think about war, rumors of war, and the negative state of the world with things going badly in many parts of the world. It is not uncommon for our boss to send us an email confirming something about a situation that we knew was not going to go our way. It is so easy to rush in the morning to get to where we need to be then realize that we forgot our keys in the store or our wallet at home. Some mornings we wake up and feel like this is not 'the day the Lord has made'.
In this Holiday and Thanksgiving session, let's slow down and reflect and think about some things we're thankful for! Crazy concept, right? Gratitude is a simple, albeit not easy, concept that helps us appreciate what we have and focus on the positive things in life. It can also help to reduce stress and feelings of loneliness. Gratitude will shift your focus from complaining about the fact that you had to get up early to expressing gratitude for the ability to breathe fresh air. Sometimes, we need to shift our focus to gratitude to appreciate what we have and the relationships we have with others. Gratitude can also serve as a means of keeping us motivated and focused on our goals. The habit of keeping a gratitude journal is an excellent method for appreciating and recognizing positive moments in life. Keeping a gratitude journal can also help you increase your self-esteem and self-confidence. In other words, gratitude is feeling grateful or thankful for something or someone in our lives. The act of expressing gratitude can contribute to a sense of mutual respect and understanding between people as well as strengthen and deepen connections.
It is possible that things will not go as well as planned, sometimes life will bring us things that will make us sad and annoyed, these things are not always under our control, and we cannot control them under any circumstance. When we look at our own lives and our loved ones, there is much to be thankful for. Show your gratitude to everyone who surrounds you. Researchers have also found that people who live a lifestyle of gratitude are happier. Those who are grateful often find it easier to overcome obstacles in their lives.
I want to challenge you this week to be very attentional and take some time to......
- Practice gratitude for the little things - The fact that you were able to wake up this morning.
- Express gratitude for others daily- Make it a habit of expressing gratitude to someone at least once a day. Send a text, send an e-mail, and have a conversation expressing gratitude. Even a handwritten letter!
- Start the day with gratitude- Make it a habit to be thankful in all circumstances.
We here at Pacifica wish you the Happiest Thanksgiving and want to express our gratitude to you!
