Nov 19, 2021
What does gratitude mean to you?
Have you ever honestly stopped to think about that beyond the basic understanding of the word?
Gratitude is defined in the dictionary as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. We all have access to this at any given point, but implementing gratitude is more than just an expression of thanks.
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
-John F. Kennedy
We’ve all heard the saying, “actions speak louder than words.”
This doesn’t just apply to external factors. To truly create a healthy atmosphere of gratitude, we must develop habits that encourage and allow this environment to be possible.
The decision to show gratitude should be consistent and conscientious. This isn’t a choice we make one time before moving on with our lives. This is an all-day, everyday pattern of thoughts and behaviors.
It is crucial to have a clear intent and desire to embrace what we have instead of focusing on what we don’t. It is so easy to get caught up in the vice of comparison, coveting the success or possessions of others around us. It is such a natural impulse that many individuals don’t even realize just how much they have fixated on the negative until well beyond the point of becoming miserable.
This thought process of “grass being greener on the other side” will never get you anywhere. Be motivated to work for your own sense of accomplishment and happiness, if that is what you desire, but stop wasting your energy on bitterness and jealousy.
Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.
– Oprah Winfrey
It is also often difficult to express gratitude during times of hardship or grievance when you feel lost in the throes of despair. However, these times are arguably the most critical moments for you to take a deep breath, steady yourself, and begin exercising gratitude.
If you are struggling to figure out where to start, here are a few exercises you can practice:
As you begin developing these habits in your life, you will notice a change in your mindset and overall satisfaction.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
-Melody Beattie
This is the last (official) Tuesday meeting of 2024. We take this meeting as an opportunity to reflect upon the year gone by and the things that we are grateful for. This is also a time to take note of the lessons learned and celebrate our successes. This gratitude exercise is a great way to ...
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