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17 Steps To Live Your Purpose And Find Fulfillment

17 Steps To Live Your Purpose And Find Fulfillment

1. Prioritize.

If you can’t prioritize your time, then how will you be able to do something meaningful with your day? It might seem crazy, but if you want to fulfill your purpose, then you’re going to need to learn time management and how to prioritize. Living on point isn’t going to happen unless you make it happen.

2. Relationship Building.

Just because we’re living in the Digital age, doesn’t mean that relationships are superfluous. The relationships that you build are more meaningful than anything else in your life. Your car can’t hug you, and a large television can’t offer you a shoulder to cry on after a difficult day. Your friends can, though. Just consider the impact that you can have on their lives, too.

3. Give Back.

Nothing should stop you from investing in your future and yourself. However, you shouldn’t stop there. There are other angles of your life that you should pursue. One of the best ways to show gratitude is to give back and serve others.

4. Accountability.

Where would you be without accountability? You should hold yourself accountable, for both your actions and your words. When you take responsibility for your behavior, the people around you tend to do the same. You should think before you speak, and consider the potential consequences before you act.

5. Discipline.

This isn’t just for your professional life, and it should also be something you apply in your personal life. Discipline is part of becoming your whole self. It will help you avoid the wrong decision and assist you in achieving your goals.

6. Distance Yourself From Hate.

You may think your hatred is fueling you, but the only one who will get burned is you. Life is far too short to allow hate space. It will exhaust you.

7. Forgive.

You should always be quick to forgive, both others and yourself. Just because you forgive others doesn’t mean that you have to speak to them. It doesn’t mean that you are condoning their behavior. Forgiveness is an act of kindness to yourself rather than to others. It means letting go of the emotion and energy you put into hating them! Forgiving yourself means you have more energy and space for love and acceptance.

8. Family First Always.

This doesn’t have to mean your blood relations, and if there are toxic family members, you shouldn’t feel the need to embrace them. Whether your family ties are blood or water, you should always make time for them. Yes, they rely on you, and it’s important to make time for you and your interests. Just remember, they have your back.

9. Dream Chaser.

If you have a dream, then you need to chase it no matter what. The most important thing, though, is that you make sure you pursue the right ones. Will it add value to others? Or in your life? Your dreams should fall in line with your purpose.

10. Let Go.

It isn’t easy to do, but it’s important that you learn how to let go. Some things just aren’t within your control, and if you try to hold on too tight, you will just drive yourself crazy.

11. Pursue Passion.

Don’t be afraid to jump outside of your comfort zone. The world is a massive place, and in the scheme of things, you’re living a small life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t create change or make a positive impact.

12. Role Model.

Be the change. It’s an opportunity that we all have, and in every aspect of your life. To be a role model, to lead by example, you must first show consistency in your character. Actions speak much louder than any words.

13. Guardian Angel.

Stand up for the people who don’t have an equal voice. If you possess privilege, then you should do something with it. Don’t just watch, do something. Be courageous, stand up for your beliefs and allow others to have equal rights and privileges.

14. Baby Steps.

Commit to improving yourself just a little bit every single day. Think about it, and if you make a small improvement every day by the end of the year you will have made a massive leap. The only way to improve is through learning, accepting and giving feedback, and reflecting on past experiences. Then taking action on what you have learned. There is even a school of thought that thinks to really learn and grow you need to teach what you have learned.

15. No Regrets.

You probably think about the regrets you have, something you wish you hadn’t said, a date you wish you’d never gone on. What’s worse – regretting something you did or something that you didn’t do? You can change both. You can think before you speak, you can consider others before you act, and you can push yourself to act on your purpose and passion. While it’s impossible to live a life with no regrets, you can mitigate those regrets when you are mindful.

16. The Purpose.

There can be no passion without purpose and purpose is empty without passion. How can you inspire others or be an effective leader without purpose and passion? Leading a life that is driven by purpose is living a whole life and achieving fulfillment. So, if you want to be a whole and fulfilled person, you need to identify your purpose and act on it first.

17. Surround Yourself with People Who Vibrate at the Same Energy.

We have already discussed the importance of relationships. It is even more important to surround yourself with people who vibrate at the same high energy level you do. Some people will have energy which is denser than yours. This is because they are always negative. If you associate with these people long-term, then you will become more negative, and your energy field will be denser. Allow yourself to expand into your true potential by surrounding yourself with people who keep your energy buzzing.

In time, if you implement all of these steps you will hear yourself and raise your energy. You will have freedom and joy within your life and attract more of the same on a daily basis.

17 Steps to Live Your Life With Purpose For Fulfillment

 

1. Prioritize.

If you can’t prioritize your time, then how will you be able to do something meaningful with your day? It might seem crazy, but if you want to fulfill your purpose, then you’re going to need to learn time management and how to prioritize. Living on point isn’t going to happen unless you make it happen.

2. Relationship Building.

Just because we’re living in the Digital age, doesn’t mean that relationships are superfluous. The relationships that you build are more meaningful than anything else in your life. Your car can’t hug you, and a large television can’t offer you a shoulder to cry on after a difficult day. Your friends can, though. Just consider the impact that you can have on their lives, too.

3. Give Back.

Nothing should stop you from investing in your future and yourself. However, you shouldn’t stop there. There are other angles of your life that you should pursue. One of the best ways to show gratitude is to give back and serve others.

4. Accountability.

Where would you be without accountability? You should hold yourself accountable, for both your actions and your words. When you take responsibility for your behavior, the people around you tend to do the same. You should think before you speak, and consider the potential consequences before you act.

5. Discipline.

This isn’t just for your professional life, and it should also be something you apply in your personal life. Discipline is part of becoming your whole self. It will help you avoid the wrong decision and assist you in achieving your goals.

6. Distance Yourself From Hate.

You may think your hatred is fueling you, but the only one who will get burned is you. Life is far too short to allow hate space. It will exhaust you.

7. Forgive.

You should always be quick to forgive, both others and yourself. Just because you forgive others doesn’t mean that you have to speak to them. It doesn’t mean that you are condoning their behavior. Forgiveness is an act of kindness to yourself rather than to others. It means letting go of the emotion and energy you put into hating them! Forgiving yourself means you have more energy and space for love and acceptance.

8. Family First Always.

This doesn’t have to mean your blood relations, and if there are toxic family members, you shouldn’t feel the need to embrace them. Whether your family ties are blood or water, you should always make time for them. Yes, they rely on you, and it’s important to make time for you and your interests. Just remember, they have your back.

9. Dream Chaser.

If you have a dream, then you need to chase it no matter what. The most important thing, though, is that you make sure you pursue the right ones. Will it add value to others? Or in your life? Your dreams should fall in line with your purpose.

10. Let Go.

It isn’t easy to do, but it’s important that you learn how to let go. Some things just aren’t within your control, and if you try to hold on too tight, you will just drive yourself crazy.

11. Pursue Passion.

Don’t be afraid to jump outside of your comfort zone. The world is a massive place, and in the scheme of things, you’re living a small life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t create change or make a positive impact.

12. Role Model.

Be the change. It’s an opportunity that we all have, and in every aspect of your life. To be a role model, to lead by example, you must first show consistency in your character. Actions speak much louder than any words.

13. Guardian Angel.

Stand up for the people who don’t have an equal voice. If you possess privilege, then you should do something with it. Don’t just watch, do something. Be courageous, stand up for your beliefs and allow others to have equal rights and privileges.

14. Baby Steps.

Commit to improving yourself just a little bit every single day. Think about it, and if you make a small improvement every day by the end of the year you will have made a massive leap. The only way to improve is through learning, accepting and giving feedback, and reflecting on past experiences. Then taking action on what you have learned. There is even a school of thought that thinks to really learn and grow you need to teach what you have learned.

15. No Regrets.

You probably think about the regrets you have, something you wish you hadn’t said, a date you wish you’d never gone on. What’s worse – regretting something you did or something that you didn’t do? You can change both. You can think before you speak, you can consider others before you act, and you can push yourself to act on your purpose and passion. While it’s impossible to live a life with no regrets, you can mitigate those regrets when you are mindful.

16. The Purpose.

There can be no passion without purpose and purpose is empty without passion. How can you inspire others or be an effective leader without purpose and passion? Leading a life that is driven by purpose is living a whole life and achieving fulfillment. So, if you want to be a whole and fulfilled person, you need to identify your purpose and act on it first.

17. Surround Yourself with People Who Vibrate at the Same Energy.

We have already discussed the importance of relationships. It is even more important to surround yourself with people who vibrate at the same high energy level you do. Some people will have energy which is denser than yours. This is because they are always negative. If you associate with these people long-term, then you will become more negative, and your energy field will be denser. Allow yourself to expand into your true potential by surrounding yourself with people who keep your energy buzzing.

In time, if you implement all of these steps you will hear yourself and raise your energy. You will have freedom and joy within your life and attract more of the same on a daily basis.

 

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17 Steps To Live Your Purpose And Find Fulfillment

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Born Free

Born Free

Born Free

“Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains”
Jean Jacques Rousseau

My freedom can never be the same as your freedom. But the essence of freedom is a universal truth. If you can live free, then you can learn to experience life fully.

Freedom is full of surprises. Laughter bubbles up inside of you spontaneously and for absolutely no reason. You can dare to say what you think and what you feel honestly. At the same time, you are not afraid of listening to other people who think differently.

Listening to the views of people who think differently from yourself doesn’t threaten your security. This is because you are secure enough and authentic enough to know what your own core beliefs are and you stick with them.

One thing that freedom has brought for me is the fact that I can live in the universe and trust in myself, even though I may not understand either.

I don’t have to conform to other people’s rules. Security in myself allows me to make my own rules. The power to live free has freed me from the addiction of alcohol. Also as I continue my spiritual journey, it has become more important what I eat.

 

Eating Clean Is a Liberating Experience

 

For the last month or so I have transferred my diet to raw food. Most days I eat hundred percent raw. Yesterday, it was freezing, and I felt the need for hot food. I had the usual raw breakfast, raw lunch and a huge raw salad for dinner. I also had a three egg mushroom omelet.

Still it was clean food and also avoiding carbohydrates except those found in fruit and veg. I no longer eat potatoes, pasta, bread, rice. This cleaner food has improved my spiritual connection. I have also made every day some alkaline water. I add fresh organic lemons and lime to tap water which has been boiled and cooled. Then I add 1/2 an organic cucumber peeled and handfuls of fresh herbs. Any soft herb will work well.

Liberation does give you more challenges. That might seem a bit of double edge sword. Greater synchronicity is an advantage, and it makes it easier to follow your path and your life’s purpose. Without this knowledge from synchronicity, it is all so easy to follow your shadow life. On the other hand, there are more challenges because you want to achieve. My eyes are now open opened to what I can achieve what I want to achieve. I have now to overcome the challenges to make this a reality.

 

The Choices

 

The choices that I have made towards freedom of thought have resulted in personal growth. A conscious effort towards expanding our outlook on life requires a clear conception of who we are and what we want.

Some people understand personal growth as more time to pursue their own interests and live life as they see fit. Fortunately, I have done that all my life so that was not my challenge.

I wanted to understand myself better. It was important to me to be authentic to my true self and find out my core values.

I also wanted to expand my consciousness. I wanted to be a channel for higher energies. I also wanted to understand more fully my life’s purpose. To do that I had to connect with myself.

When I was ready to do these things it was strange how easy it was to do. It was hard to believe how fear and complacency could hold me back for so long.

In the end, my desire to prove I had a new identity as a widow, rather than a wife drove me forward. I wanted to contribute something of value to other people.

Appreciation and Joy

Living free has given me a sense that I can give things away and appreciate things. A few days ago I was walking home with a bunch of flowers. It wasn’t a large bunch. It was for a small arrangement. The colors were magnificent a deep red. A little girl of about eight stopped me and said: “your flowers are beautiful.” I asked if she really thought so and she said yes. So, I gave them to her.

She looked delighted, but her mother looked embarrassed. She said to me that the child didn’t mean she wanted them. I laughed and said, “that doesn’t mean she can’t have them.”

I knew that by the very act of giving I would have more things given to me. It’s an acknowledgment that the universe will provide everything I need in life. A random act of kindness gave me great joy.

Learning to live free is starting to give me more balance in my life. It has increased synchronicity so that I know what I want to do. Eventually it will in time give me more confidence, happiness, and success.

It will also give me some conflict. I know that when those adverse situations occur, I will have to make a choice. I will have to decide whether to go along on my chosen path or whether to reassess the situation. Either way, I am in control. It is my choice when I decide to do.

The Driving Forces

What drives me to do this is the fact that since being widowed I have become very insular. I am sure that this is a normal part of grieving. However, in my case, it has meant days if not weeks isolated and alone. I haven’t minded this at all! In fact, I’ve enjoyed it, but eventually, my outward circumstances must change.

Tomorrow I will discuss how to define your core values so that you can change the way you think and learn to live freely. It will be a challenge, but you will find it in the long term highly rewarding. You will find peace and contentment that you hadn’t realized was missing from your life.

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 3

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 3

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 3

You must be consciously aware of the many blessings in your life for you to be grateful for them. One way to improve your awareness is to take up the practice of meditation. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to focus on the...

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 2

Yesterday we spoke about the blessings of gratitude in part one. Today in blessings of gratitude part 2 I want to continue the theme of gratitude and why it's so important in our everyday lives. Incredibly, there is scientific proof that when you express gratitude....

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 1

Why You Should Practice Gratitude Daily A quick check in a thesaurus shows that the following words are opposites, or antonyms, for the word gratitude: Callousness Agitation Ingratitude Thanklessness Desecration Condemnation Think about the emotions behind those...

Expressing gratitude is all about being aware.

Meditation Assists in Self Awareness

You must be consciously aware of the many blessings in your life for you to be grateful for them. One way to improve your awareness is to take up the practice of meditation. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to focus on the moment, and live “in the now”. Meditation lowers stress and anxiety levels it has been linked to heart health, lowers your risk of developing neurological problems, and can be practiced just about anywhere.

You don’t have to pull out the incense and a yoga mat to meditate. I tend to do it first thing in the morning before I get up and the last thing at night before I sleep.

Find a place that is free of distractions, both visual and audible. Take a few slow, deep breaths to open your heart center. Focus on nothing more than your breathing. Recognize the pattern of your breath, and clear your mind. You should do this with your eyes open, without judging or responding to anything you see or hear.

This is called mindfulness meditation.

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 3
You are attempting to become mindful of only the current moment. There is no past and no future. You are living in “the now”, a process which leads to peace and tranquillity. You are not feeling guilty about the past or worrying about the future both are relevant within this moment.

This simple meditation practice clears your mind and helps you focus your thoughts. When you are through meditating, you will find yourself feeling mentally clean, and emotionally sustained. This is the perfect frame of mind for opening your eyes to the grateful aspects of your life.

As you come out of your meditation, tell yourself that you are grateful for you. Express love for yourself precisely as you are now. Smile and feel good about your world and who you are. Then continue to move through your daily routine, and you will find yourself noticing plenty to be thankful for.

How to Stop Complaining and Focus on the Positives

It’s easy to become frustrated and angry from time to time. Human beings are not perfect. You are going to lose control of your emotions every once in a while. It’s just natural. When you experience the feeling that you are out of control, a typical response is to complain about the situation or problem you find yourself in.

Complaining about things you cannot change is a waste of time. This defeats your positive energy, boosts negative energy, and leads to stress and anxiety. As you learned earlier, stress is the enemy of gratitude. You can’t be thankful for things in your life when you are stressed out and worrying all the time.

Fortunately, it is rather easy to stop unnecessary complaining and focus on a positive approach instead. No one can control your mood unless you let them. That means that all you have to do is change your mind whenever you like, and move your attitude from negative to positive. If that sounds difficult, or even impossible, try this.

Create Your Own Reality

The next time something terrible happens and you catch yourself complaining, either out loud or silently to yourself, say “Stop.” Then look at the negative situation and put a positive spin on it. If you are stuck in rush hour traffic and running late for an appointment or other responsibility, don’t complain about the situation. You can’t control the situation.

Instead, tell yourself you are grateful for this unscheduled period of free time. Spend it meditating, jotting down the reasons why you should be grateful today, or pick up your phone and call a friend that you are grateful for. If family members or friends are in your vehicle with you, think about why you are grateful for them, and then share your thoughts.

Problems and negative events are nothing more than opportunities.

Negative, unsuccessful, unhealthy people see nothing but problems in their lives. They are constantly complaining, increasing levels of stress in their bodies, and this leads to inflammation that causes a long list of physical problems. Positive, happy, healthy people, like yourself, can always find the silver lining in every cloud.

12 Practical Ideas for Practicing Gratitude Every Day

When I first started actively practicing gratitude I have to admit it did feel a bit silly. Nowadays it’s such an active part of my daily routine I don’t even think about it. When I first started I couldn’t think of anything I was really grateful for. That is one of the funny things about practicing gratitude the more you practice it the more you realize just what you are grateful for. If you are stuck for the moment the following strategies might help you, you may need them as temporary props and they may become permanent. blessings of gratitude part 3

1 – Keep “Be Grateful” sticky notes at strategic places in your home and at work.

2 – Call a different person each day and thank them for something they have done for you.

3 – Anytime you eat, take a moment to express appreciation for your meal.

4 – Keep your gratitude journal by your bed or your alarm clock, where you will see it every night.

5 – Write in your gratitude journal at the same time each day or night.

6 – Use all of your senses.
When you are practising gratitude remember to use all of your senses. The fragrance of cinnamon always reminds me of Sri Lanka and the life I had with my husband there. I am a kinaesthetic and generally I find feeling comes easier.

However you may not be and it may be worthwhile for you to remember that you can see something as well. This works if you are a visual person, paint a picture in your head of the things you are grateful for.

Sometimes hearing things will be an evocative memory. Touching a material may remind you of something. Tasting particular food or drink will trigger emotions as well.

Remember you have five senses and to use them all.

7 – Each morning upon waking, make a vow to practice gratitude that day.

8 – Look outward, and not inward – Grateful people are changed people. The whole attitude becomes more expansive. You are much more aware of the contribution of the people have in your life. I am not saying you should be relying on other people to create your happiness, that can only come from you. However other people have an important contribution. When you recognise this you feel more outgoing and loving, your heart centre expands. When you are grateful you are small and you concentrate on your own smallness and negativity and your own actions. Gratefulness changes all this.

9 – Find a gratitude partner. Have that person routinely ask you if you have expressed gratitude that day, and you can do the same for them.

10 – When you find yourself thinking negatively, find something positive to focus on instead.

11 – Send thank you notes to let the important people in your life know that you appreciate them.

12 – Type “gratitude quotes” into your favorite search engine, and refer to at least one quote each day.

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 2

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 2

Being Grateful Creates "Social Capital"... It Makes People like You

Yesterday we spoke about the blessings of gratitude in part one. Today in blessings of gratitude part 2 I want to continue the theme of gratitude and why it’s so important in our everyday lives.

Incredibly, there is scientific proof that when you express gratitude. People are more inclined to want to be around you. A group of researchers performed 2 different studies, with a total of 243 volunteers. They asked the participants how grateful they were in their lives, how often they expressed gratitude. They then instructed them to consciously be more aware of more situations, occasions and other things to be grateful for.

blessings of gratitude part 2

The students who reported being more grateful than before became more trusting and social, appreciative and nicer. This made them more attractive to others, thus more likable. The researchers noticed that just a 10% increase in how grateful the volunteers were generated roughly 17.5% more social capital. Social capital is a term which describes the things which make you more sociable. That also make other people want to be around you and get to know you.

THE Subtle Effects Of Gratitude

The effect is subtle and is not anything that you consciously do. You simply give off a vibe of likability. Practicing daily gratitude can help you deepen existing relationships and make new friends. People tend to gravitate towards you like moths to a flame when you are grateful. People like to be liked! Indirectly your gratitude boosts their self-esteem.

Gratitude Makes You Healthier in Mind and Body

Blessings of gratitude

A study entitled Positive Psychology Progress was released in 2005. It showed that keeping a daily gratitude journal resulted in 30% fewer symptoms of depression. This effect continues as long as you update your journal. Another reason to update your general daily.

Take some time to start and maintain a gratitude journal (I will show you exactly how to do this later), and you boost your happiness while lowering your risk of becoming depressed.

That same study asked a group of volunteers to make a gratitude visit. This is when you physically meet someone to tell them that you are thankful for having them in your life. People respond to you when you tell them how grateful you are for something they did for you. It makes them want to do more things for you. A single visit to personally tell someone they were appreciated led to an incredible 35% drop in depression symptoms for several weeks!

Counting Blessings Versus Burdens

Research released in 2003, in a report titled Counting Blessings Versus Burdens, showed just how routine gratitude dramatically increased physical health in several different areas. Keeping a daily gratitude journal led to …

An increase of 8% more sleep, and an impressive 25% increase in the quality of sleep

Volunteers reporting 10% less physical pain

A jump of 19% in time spent exercising

A drop of 16% in poor health symptoms

Multiple independent studies show when you are grateful more often, you have more energy and vitality. A 2007 report titled Gratitude: Effects on Perspectives and Blood Pressure revealed a link between hypertension and emotions. Doctors that participated in that study asked their patients to “count their blessings once a week” as a complementary therapy to traditional treatment methods.

That simple once a week pattern of gratefulness led to a “significant decrease in systolic blood pressure”, which led to a lowering of high blood pressure. This drop of high blood pressure symptoms was much greater in the patients who were thankful once every 7 days, than it was in patients who were not given that instruction.

Gratitude may not be able to cure cancer, but the positive emotions that come from thankfulness lead to overall health and wellness. Over 130 different research studies show that practicing gratitude can boost your immune system functioning, help you recover faster from medical procedures, make your heart healthier and decrease the likelihood that you will develop a mental disorder. All in all, this means that you have to visit the doctor less often than those people who do not express thankfulness on a regular basis.

Gratitude Helps You Live Longer

Psychologists and experts on the subject of the human brain understand that optimism and positive emotions allow you to live longer than pessimistic, negative people. It all has to do with the stress hormones your body produces when it senses you are not happy. You know from earlier that expressing gratitude creates positive emotions. These emotions make you optimistic about yourself, the people in your life, your immediate environment and the world at large.

Being positive heps you live a longer more productive life

You have fewer cases of stress, anxiety and depression. Your brain releases “feel good” hormones rather than anxiety and stress-producing hormones. This leads to a body and mind which are healthier than if they are affected by the inflammation which is caused by continuous stress and negative emotions. Practice gratitude every day and you not only live longer, but you also enjoy and appreciate the time you have.

How to Start a Gratitude Journal 2019

Any notebook or paper tablet can serve as a gratitude journal. Your journal works better if it is aesthetically pleasing. Try to find one that is a color you like and has a binding or wrapper that feels good. This will help you enjoy the process of writing down your grateful thoughts more than if you use a standard tablet or notebook.

Every night before you prepare to go to bed, think about and write down what you were grateful for that day. This nighttime practice has been proven to improve sleep quality, and also to help you fall asleep quicker. Gratitude isn’t just about those huge moments that rock your life it’s about simple things such as a bowl of fresh flowers. A good book, a new movie you viewed, and other simple, daily occurrences are all worthy of gratitude.

Try to write down 5 to 10 different things that made you grateful that day. If you like to read or watch television before you go to bed, that is okay. Just make sure that journaling your thoughts of gratitude is the very last thing you do before you go to sleep.

If you are unsure how to create your own gratitude journal, turn to the Internet.

Go to your favorite search engine and look for “gratitude journal” or “thankfulness journal”. There are all kinds of online gratitude journal templates that you can personalize for your own unique situation. Look for “online gratitude journal” to find pieces of software and applications that let you access your gratitude journal from any Internet-connected device.

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 1

The Blessings Of Gratitude Part 1

gratitudeWhy You Should Practice Gratitude Daily

A quick check in a thesaurus shows that the following words are opposites, or antonyms, for the word gratitude:

Callousness

Agitation

Ingratitude

Thanklessness

Desecration

Condemnation

Think about the emotions behind those words. We have all had those negative emotions at some time. When we haven’t been mindful at that point. We have also all been agitated and taking it out on the nearest person. The emotions don’t reflect the blessings of gratitude.

Most of us, feel that we were in the wrong one we experience those emotions. We regret our thoughts and our actions.

Each emotion that we feel has energy behind it. When we express gratitude it feels good. It opens our heart center. Very quickly we feel calmer and more peaceful.

Also, being grateful makes us realize how much we have to be truly thankful for. My life definitely improved for the better about three years ago when I decided to show gratitude every day.

As of today 1 October 2018 I am going to write here the three most important things I want to be grateful for in a day. Your comments would be greatly appreciated and perhaps you will join me with your own gratitude journal.

When you are truly thankful something marvelous happens at a physiological and spiritual level. You are instantly more open and also more receptive. The world looks a better place, I am calmer and feel more enriched. I am more willing to trust the universe.

The blessings of Appreciation

 

Being appreciative makes me look for solutions in my daily problems. We still have challenges when we are grateful, but we look at them differently.

There is a direct link between a gratitude journal, becoming more aware of the things you have to be thankful for and the power of meditation.

Through daily acts of appreciation, I find that I complain less and I judge less. I am more open to be happy and see joy around me. The powerful emotions evoked by a simple thank you cannot be underestimated.

I am totally blessed in the fact that 99 times out of a hundred my first thought in the morning is “thank you, thank you, thank you”

That was not always the case. I have achieved this through practice. Interestingly enough I noticed even after the day my husband died it was still my first thought in the morning.

My Benefits of Practicing Daily Gratitude

 

Humans are incredibly complex beings. Literally millions of processes are happening inside your body at any given moment. They control how your body and mind work. Then there are your emotions and your spiritual being. Unlike your physical body, your spirituality and the way you feel about things are ethereal, and cannot be seen.

However, your physical, mental and spiritual aspects are all related and influenced by each other. This complexity means that a positive mindset can deliver physical rewards. Taking care of your physical body makes your mind and spirit healthier. Keeping your brain sharp allows for spiritual and physical health and well-being.

This is how the powerful emotions that come from a sense of gratefulness can positively impact your life on so many levels.

Incidentally, the benefits from a daily practice of gratitude are nearly limitless. Since all people are different, you may experience a different set of physical, mental and spiritual rewards than someone else. In many cases, however, there are common benefits of being grateful which are consistently reported. Some have even been documented scientifically, and are included in the list of impressive gratitude benefits listed below.

Expressing Thanks Makes You More Productive.

daily gratitude

Grateful people are productive people. They get more done because their mind is clear and sharp. When you show appreciation for something, it means you are focusing on the positive things in your life, rather than your worries and troubles. We know that constant worry causes stress in both mind and body. When you are worried and stressed out, you can’t focus, since your mind is concentrating on trying to remove whatever is causing the stress in your life.

A lack of focus leads to a drop in productivity. A daily acknowledgment of the blessings in your life delivers mental peace and clarity. This leads to an improved ability to concentrate, which can make you more productive at any task or endeavor.

Gratitude Helps in the Decision Making Process

Even the smallest of decisions is an involved process. Think about something as simple as driving to the store to pick up a gallon of milk. Should you change, or go in the clothes you’re wearing? How much gas do you have in your vehicle? While you are there, do you need to buy anything else? If you leave now, will you be back in time for the start of your favorite program, or should you wait until after the show is over?

This illustrates how many thought processes go into making a simple decision. Imagine how much more complicated the decision making process is for doctors. They are tasked with choosing the right treatment or medication for a patient every time. One study showed that after expressing gratitude, doctors were able to make a healthier and more accurate diagnosis than if they did not feel thankful.

Blessings of gratitude

One set of doctors was shown a list of symptoms of an imaginary patient. On top of that, they were handed misleading information. They were told the patient had already been diagnosed by another doctor as having contracted lupus. Half of the doctors in this experiment were given a token of appreciation, which they felt grateful for.

The other half of the doctors did not receive any token of appreciation. Those doctors were much more likely to simply go with the incorrect lupus diagnosis than the doctors who were grateful. The doctors who expressed thanks for their gift spent more time and energy trying to ascertain whether the lupus diagnosis was correct or not. The grateful doctors also considered a much broader range of treatments.

It appears that being grateful strengthens your ability to make good decisions. As in the case just mentioned, it doesn’t even matter if the gratitude is for anything related to the choice you have to make. Practice daily gratitude, and you will make better decisions in all aspects of your life.

the blessings of gratitude

Being Grateful Leads to a Relaxed State

Positive emotions are related to feelings of peacefulness, tranquility, and calmness. Negative emotions and feelings cause a mental and spiritual state of disarray, anxiety, stress, and disruption. The next time you are feeling anxious, depressed or stressed, take a couple of deep breaths. Close your eyes and envision something that you are thankful for.

Express real gratitude for that blessing, either out loud, or silently to yourself. You will notice the stress and anxiety slipping away. Some research has shown that this practice of gratitude actually slows down the production of stress hormones in your body, which delivers a relaxed feeling of stress-relief.

Thankfulness Destroys Envy

Have you ever been envious of someone or something else? That is not a good feeling, is it? You focus in on the target of your envy, and you can see or think of nothing else. This can lead to a mental and emotional state categorized by distrust, materialism, inferiority and insecurity, and in severe cases even hatred. You secretly feel you are less than you should be and you begin to resent yourself since you do not have the thing or person you are envious of.

Practicing gratefulness wipes away any thoughts of envy. You realize that the life you lead is very worthy of your gratitude. You cannot think an envious thought when you develop a grateful mindset. Instead of being envious of something that someone else has, you are happy for them. You are also happy with your own set of blessings, and very grateful for them in your life.

Practicing Thankfulness Boosts Self-Esteem

 

What if you had nothing to be thankful for? What if there was nothing in your life to express gratitude over? That is a horrible reality no one should face. Certainly, everyone has many things to be grateful for. When you take the time to notice how many wonderful blessings you have in your life, you can’t help but feel more expansive.

This gives your self-esteem and self-love a boost.

This happens because when you display true gratitude, you see yourself as a person who is worthy of the things you are grateful for. You recognize the gifts in your life as rewards for being a good person. Whenever you need to improve the way you look at yourself and a reminder that you are a valuable, wonderful, good human being, take time to be thankful.

Being Thankful Keeps You from Becoming Self-Centered

Just as gratitude gives your self-esteem a positive jolt, it also keeps you from being selfish. You may think that if gratitude causes a rise in self-esteem, it could lead to an egotistic attitude. The exact opposite is the case. Gratitude leads to a realization that not everyone has as many rewards and blessings as you do.

This keeps you from looking at the world in an egocentric manner.

It is tough to be a narcissistic and self-absorbed individual when you see so many gifts in your life that others do not have. This also leads to a higher sense of appreciation and gratitude for everything positive that happens to you. Gratitude makes you focus on others, on their acts of benevolence and giving that has impacted you, rather than always thinking about yourself.

Gratitude Increases Your Level of Happiness

It’s true, you are happier after you feel a sense of gratefulness. We are often grateful for an act of kindness someone has performed on our behalf. We are thankful for a gift, a personal achievement we are proud of, or a beautiful sunset. These are all cases where our happiness is bolstered because of something we are thankful for.

You can use this emotional response to gratitude in your daily life. A few times a day, give yourself a break. Look around you. What do you have to be thankful for … your wonderful family, your friends, your home, a nice meal and that smiling neighbor who always stops to have a pleasant chat when they see you. Life’s pleasures are all around us, and when we take the time to appreciate them, our happiness grows.