5 Seconds to a Better Life!
November 10th, 2008 by Administrator | Filed under Lifestyle.5 Seconds to a Better Life!
The people I come in contact with that have the most abundant lives and are the happiest all have at least one thing in common: they are thankful. They are constantly in a spirit of thanks no matter what is going on in their lives.
Case-in-point: my mom. My mother is always thankful, and she constantly has good things happen to her. For example, when I was in middle school my mom was working at a doctor’s office and was laid-off from her job. When she came home that day she did not cry, take anger out on anyone, or drown her sorrows in a bottle. Instead, she stayed in a spirit of thankfulness and when she went to bed that night she gave thanks for the job she did not have. See, my mother could see past the fact that she did not have a job at that very moment. She was thankful for her family, her health, and her life. She was also thankful for the job she knew she would eventually get. She did indeed get another job. In fact, she got a job making twice as much and she only had to work a fraction of the time she did before.
The bad news is everyone is not born with a thankful attitude, but the good news is that with practice, thankfulness can be developed.
Here are 4 Tips to live a more thankful life:
1. In Just 5 Seconds
Start small by reminding yourself to stop and say thank you for just 5 seconds several times throughout the day. You can associate this with a task that you do routinely. For instance, every time you wash your hands also take 5 seconds to say thank you. Start each morning out by saying thank you.
2. Make a “thank sheet”
Sit down and write down everything you are thankful for. Think of at least 30 things. This may seem like a lot, but write down even the smallest of things. You may write down air, food, water, or other minute things that are taken for granted. Whenever negative things pop into your day and cause you to start getting sad or angry pull out this list. Keep this list on you at all times and read over it when you need to.
3. Overcome Obstacles
On another sheet of paper, write down the thing that is the biggest obstacle for you and drains the most of your energy. Think of at least 5 things you can be thankful for that come from this obstacle. Three examples are listed below:
Weight loss-Many people are unhappy with their bodies and want to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a healthier and better you, but you can be thankful for the body you have in the meantime. If your obstacle is your weight then write down 5 things that you are thankful for about your body. For instance, you can be thankful for the arms that pick up and hug your kids, your hands that prepare food and take care of your family, and even your toenails.
Career and finances-If you are unhappy with your job and want to make more money, start by being thankful for the job and money you do have right now. Be thankful for the people you have met, the skills that you have learned, and the better job you will eventually be qualified for. If you currently do not have a job then be thankful for the job that you WILL have.
Relationships-If there is a relationship that is suffering or missing from your life, then give thanks for the good relationships in your life. List all the family, friends, and co workers you are thankful for. If you have endured a break-up then be thankful for what you have learned and how much you have grown.
The next time you find yourself worrying or thinking negatively about your obstacle, take out this sheet of paper and be thankful for the things that you have listed.
4. Re-train your brain
Often times we train ourselves not to be thankful because we concentrate so much on all the negative things in our lives. This causes a pattern of unconstructive thoughts because one bad thought leads to another, and then another, and so on. Then negative thoughts are spiraling out of control. Put more time and energy into thinking about positive thoughts and being thankful.
Learn to be aware of the thoughts in your head. Sometimes we don’t even realize we are thinking negative thoughts until we are sad and depressed. Periodically throughout the day ask yourself what you have been thinking of and whenever a negative thought comes to mind simply give thanks.
*Implement these tips into your life for the next two weeks. At first they may seem like a chore, but eventually thankfulness will come natural to you. You can watch as you slip into a constant spirit of thankfulness and start reaping all the rewards of having an attitude of gratitude.
Brandi Hamrick
The “Queen B” Coach
www.brandihamrick.com
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great post, I love the tips!