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Develop an Attitude of Gratitude

© Sheila Cohill

In studying and applying techniques for personal development, we often focus on what we lack and what we want as opposed to what we already have and who we already are. It's common, and although it's a good thing to strive for more out of life, it's also a good thing to take a moment or two out of your day to be thankful for your achievements (things you've acquired or accomplished yourself) and gifts (things others have given to or done for you).

What do you have to be thankful for? A healthy mind and a healthy body could easily top that list. Even if you're not in the best of shape, surely you can think of some mental or physical aspect of yourself for which you can be thankful. Do you remain calm under pressure? Do you have five working senses? Four? Don't take anything about yourself or what you have for granted. Be thankful!

By developing an attitude of gratitude, by appreciating what you have now and who you are now, you open yourself up to other positive energies in and around you--so if there is something in your life you would like to change, you will have more positive energy available to you to do so.

To develop an attitude of gratitude, you need to take time, not much, but some, to reflect with appreciation on yourself and your circumstances. Many people give thanks when they pray. Others may have a thought of thanks streak through their mind immediately after benefiting from some occurrence. Still others do both. How you give thanks isn't as important as that you do. Daily reflection with appreciation is one key to developing an attitude of gratitude.

The other key is sincerity. An infinity of forms exists for showing your thankfulness--saying, "thank you;" buying flowers; going the extra mile; simply feeling appreciative--but there's only one motive behind a demonstration of true appreciation: sincerity. Your gratitude needs to be genuine, pure, and unadulterated. If you think that giving or saying something in thanks will get you something in return or will make you feel like you have one up on someone else, you are being insincere in your thankfulness. This insincerity can open up negative energies in and around you instead of positive ones. When you're truly and sincerely thankful, you can't help but feel strong good, positive feelings.

By exercising these two key principles for developing an attitude of gratitude, you might notice an increase in your tolerance when an undesirable incident occurs. In fact, you might see more clearly the seed of fruitfulness within such an incident--and you can even be thankful for the incident because of that fact. You'll know for sure then that you have an attitude of gratitude.

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