5 Benefits of Gratitude

Gratitude and goal accomplishment… is there a link?  Well showing your gratitude can be a great way to spread positive feelings in the world around you, and when you think about it, reaching your goals starts with a single positive thought. What could be more positive to yourself or anyone else then showing your sincere gratitude?

With the recent passing by of Mothers Day and the upcoming Father’s Day here is a question to ask – How do you feel when someone sincerely expresses his or her gratitude to you for something you did? Doesn’t it make you feel good about yourself? These positive feelings can lift you up, boost your enthusiasm, and motivate you to achieve even more.  Oh, and by the way – it makes them feel good too!

Feeling grateful for what you have done, are doing and will do will produce those same great feelings.  These positive feelings of gratitude will sustain your drive toward your goals.

This shows how gratitude can have some seriously positive snowball effects.

Here are some of the benefits of gratitude:

1. Reaching your goals. When you sincerely feel grateful, it usually is a lasting and deep seeded selfless feeling.  I mean it is much more than just a brief burst of positive energy; it has staying power that will provide a great boost for you to reach your goals. allegra d prescription  Better than any energy drink you will ever gulp down.

• When you share your gratitude to others, be sure that you are open with your praise and sincere with your gratefulness.  After all, most are not mind readers and will not know what you’re thinking; hearing WILL it can make all the difference.

1. Strengthened relationships. How can I say I am grateful?  Let me count the ways.  There are many ways you can express your gratitude to your friends, family and loved ones, including something as simple as saying, “Thank you,” writing a letter, or giving them a thoughtful gift (something THEY want not something you want them to have).  When you learn to appreciate your loved ones and not take them for granted, you will foster a long lasting and loving relationship.

• Showing gratitude is a two way street. Learn how to effectively express your gratitude and, just as importantly, to receive it as well. Allow someone else the deep seeded feeling of showing their gratitude towards you!

1. Improved communication. Can you hear me now? Gratitude will mean better communication all the way around. By showing your gratitude to even strangers, they will be more likely to show a sincere interest in you and how they can help you.  This could be from helping you change a flat tire to landing the next great job!

• Gratitude is such a powerful entity that it can even help you communicate with your kids! They should be appreciated too (yes even when they are testing your patience)!  Take it from a father that has lost a child – appreciate them every minute you have them around.

1. More effective constructive criticism. No matter how tactfully we try to express constructive criticism, it sometimes makes the recipient defensive and even angry.   After all how enjoys a right cross to the ego?  In situations like this, your grateful attitude will take you a long way.  You share productive criticism far more effectively when you also emphasize what you appreciate about them and all that they do.

1. Preserving memories. Here is an exercise you will be glad that you did.  Maybe not today or next week – but a guarantee that a month or two from now you will be very grateful.  You can preserve delicate memories in a positive way when you keep a gratitude journal.  Ake a few minutes at the end of your day and jot down your gratitudes for the day.  Pretty soon you will be able to enjoy your memories again and again as will your children and their children when they read about those happy times you savored and were grateful for.   This in turn teaches them gratitude and to preserve their cherished memories (bonus!).

Show Your Gratitude Every Day

Ok, I know what you might be thinking – what in it for me?  (hee hee well maybe your now thinking that but guess what?  You are now!)  Showing your genuine gratitude to others on the surface appears to be a selfless act.  BUT, you will also benefit greatly from it. When you show your gratitude every day, your thinking literally changes.

You will appreciate your life, the good and the bad, when the majority of your thoughts remain positive.  Your heartfelt gratitude will push more of your thoughts to the positive side of the spectrum.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not a “Its always sunny” kind of guy.  I realize that negative thoughts will happen and can sometimes be quite overwhelming.  However, just because you have negative thoughts does no make you a bad person. They happen to everyone! With the help of your grateful attitude, you can strive to keep them squelched to a minimum.

Show your gratitude every day by stepping back and taking a look at the big picture whenever a negative thought arises. If a petty argument with your spouse ensues making you feel angry and heated, take a deep breath and think for a moment. I find that so many of us (yes even me) fight so hard for the win that we can neglect the right.  Remember that the argument is not permanent and, instead, feel grateful for the gift of the relationship.

As I mentioned earlier, I have lost a child – I curse I would not wish upon my darkest enemy.  So trust me when I say our days on this earth are numbered thus we must cherish with gratitude the time that we have and enjoy the benefits of living each day as if it were our last.

Think Successfully & Take Action!

Tracy Brinkmann
One of Today’s TOP Motivated Coaches & Author of Success Atlas ProgramsYou now can buy paxil online

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