Lifestyle / It’s Time To Ditch Your Bad Attitude By Practicing Gratitude

It’s Time To Ditch Your Bad Attitude By Practicing Gratitude

Lifestyle Jan 16, 2019

by Rachna Sethi

Gratitude is an attitude and it’s one we can all benefit from. Why? Because naturally instilled in all of us is the desire to be happy and gratitude is a way to cultivate it! How does it work? Read on to learn how gratitude can help lead you down a path of happiness and have you smiling each step of the way. Check out why we feel that it’s time to ditch your bad attitude by practicing gratitude.

What exactly does being grateful mean?

Simply put, gratitude is the quality and/or feeling of being thankful.

How can we start practicing it?

A first step is by increasing our awareness on what’s happening in the world. According to The World Bank, in 2013, 767 million people around the world lived on less than $1.90 USD a day. Out of those living in poverty, 270 million people are in India (making India the poorest of the South Asian counties).

What does this information have to do with gratitude? It serves as a reminder that if you’re on an electronic device reading this, you already have something to be thankful for; you are not one of the many millions of people around the world without access to technology.

Still not feeling thankful? That’s okay, technology is a want not a basic need therefore that information may not inspire you. What about your access to drinking water? Taking a shower? Daily, routine actions for many of us but not for all; 1 in 9 people around the world still don’t have access to clean water.

Sharing this information isn’t about making us feel bad; it’s to remind us how we may be taking routine parts of our day for granted. Taking mindful moments to increase awareness on what we do have is when gratitude can become a powerful tool by shifting our focus away from things we feel we don’t have. That shift in perspective (and attitude) is how gratitude can lead to an increase in happiness.

**Ditch Your Bad Attitude By Practicing Gratitude: The legendary Oprah Winfrey on the power of practicing gratitude.** Photo Credit: https://iamfearlesssoul.com

How can you start (or continue) to change your attitude to be one of gratitude?

Study the science: From Harvard to Huffington Post, information on the relationship between gratitude and happiness is available. Are you a fan of videos? Positive Psychologist Shawn Achor has an easy (and hilarious) TED talk on the science of gratitude; it includes evidence on how practicing it for just 21 days is impactful.

Explore the experience: The easiest way to see if gratitude can increase your happiness is by trying it for yourself. A gratitude jar or journal to document three things you are grateful for each morning (or night) are great ways to practice. You’ll notice by committing to finding three things a day, you’ll naturally start to notice an even higher amount of things to be grateful for.

Volunteer: Giving back to others not only helps them but helps you. Volunteering enables us to keep things in perspective, generate feelings of accomplishment, strengthens our ability to connect with others and can increase our sense of purpose. Simply being in a position to have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of others is something to be grateful for!

Promote its practice: Those of you on social media may have already noticed a rise in #gratitude trending. After you practice and reap it’s benefits, share your story! What the world needs now (it feels like more then ever after watching the news), is more people to spread awareness on positive living. Not s social media user? No problem! Another way to promote it and help ensure you stay on track is by enlisting a family member, friend or colleague to be a gratitude buddy (share your journals, jars and or even text each other regularly). Want an even easier way to inspire happiness through grateful living? Share this article to help spread the word on gratitude!

Main Image Photo Credit: www.soulutionary.com

Rachna Sethi

Author

Rachna (@thesassyspiritual) is a graduate of the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program from the University of Toronto, a certified Educator with two bachelor degrees and a diploma in Art Therapy. She's dedicated to living with a compassionate approach. Committed to helping people integrate Mindfuln...

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It’s Time To Ditch Your Bad Attitude By Practicing Gratitude

by Rachna Sethi

Rachna Sethi

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