How Living with an Attitude of Gratitude
Can Make You Happier

Many people don't realize the powerful impact that gratitude can have when it comes to making their life happier. For example, when you can learn to be grateful for the things you have, then you aren't as disappointed and unhappy spending all your time dwelling on the things you don't have. Unfortunately, a lot of people - even some of the most successful people - don't act very grateful. It’s important to adopt an attitude of gratitude to help you enjoy a happier life.

What Does Gratitude Mean?

Being grateful can mean things like being grateful for what you have and counting your blessings in life. However, developing an attitude of gratitude is about learning to be aware of what you have no matter how small it might seem in life. Unfortunately, most people tend to focus on what they don't have - which often makes them feel envious of others and unhappy.

What Do You Have to Be Grateful For?

The truth is most people have a lot of reasons to be grateful. You just have to learn to recognize them. Although, it does take practice to learn to truly adopt an attitude of gratitude. The best way to start is by looking at the things you have in life. Don't overlook the small things. For example, let's say you take a walk and you stop to admire a beautiful tree in full bloom. Take a moment to give thanks to our Creator for providing you with something so lovely to look at. Being grateful is also about learning to put things in perspective. Everyone has those days where everything seems to go long. However, with an attitude of gratitude, you can start seeing each problem as an opportunity for personal/professional growth.

Developing a Mindset for Gratitude

Gratitude doesn't come naturally to many people. Therefore, you will need to develop a mindset for it if you truly want to live a happier life. Here are some tips to help retrain your mind to embrace gratitude:

• Be grateful for being given a new day when you wake up in the morning.
• Be grateful for each day you have when you go to sleep at night.
• Show your gratitude to others by telling them "thank you" and expressing your appreciation to them.
• Whenever something good happens to you - no matter how big or small - write it down in a journal.

Following those steps will help you learn to appreciate the many good things that you likely have in life.

How Gratitude Can Lead to More Success

Can gratitude really make you successful? Not by itself. However, adopting an attitude of gratitude can make you become more optimistic - which helps you embrace positive thinking. The most successful people tend to be positive, because they look at their failures as learning opportunities. They don't dwell on mistakes. Instead, they are grateful for every opportunity that comes into their life. Unfortunately, pessimistic people tend to dwell on their faults and shortcomings. They often feel as though they have nothing to be grateful for - especially after failure. That means they tend to give up on trying to achieve any kind of meaningful success for themselves. Furthermore, being grateful can help you find your true passion in life. Successful people are almost always really passionate about doing what they love.

Developing the Habits of a Grateful Person

Most people have many opportunities to show their gratitude throughout each day. Unfortunately, thoughts of envy about what you don't have will often enter your mind and prevent you from being grateful. Therefore, you must make it a habit to show gratitude for the things in your life. The best way to do that is to consciously think about all the good things that you have to be grateful for in your life. For example, if you aren't sick, you should be thankful for your good health. If you have a job and a roof over your head, you should be grateful that you aren't one of the many impoverished homeless people around the world. Try thinking about the benefits of making gratitude a daily habit in your life:

• You will be healthier.
• You will feel less anxious and depressed.
• You will have less stress.
• Most importantly, you will see an improvement in your overall quality of life and happiness.

Furthermore, you should practice giving/sharing things with others. A simple act of giving or sharing can do more than you think!

Gratitude Can Lead to Stronger Relationships

Finally, the power of gratitude can even strengthen your relationships. Many couples assume that their partner knows how much they love/care about them - so they don't take the time to really express their appreciation. Unfortunately, that can leave you or your partner feeling less loved, and unappreciated. Showing gratitude in a relationship means that you tell your loved ones that you love them, care for them, and appreciate them. Expressing your gratitude can also be done by doing thoughtful things to show how much you care. Your partner won't feel like you take them for granted.

In short, living with an attitude of gratitude starts by understanding what it means to be grateful for the things that you have in life - even the little things. If you take the time to think about it, you can likely find a lot of things that you are really thankful for. Most people have to develop a mindset for gratitude. Being grateful for what you have in life will make you more optimistic - which is an important attribute for the most successful people. The best way to learn to be appreciative for the things in your life is to make gratitude a habit. Lastly, you can have healthier, stronger relationships by showing your appreciation for your partner.