Attitude of Gratitude: 5 Facts to Be Grateful For

Has your fast paced life and heavy workload kept you from enjoying what's around you?

When was the last time you had a good night sleep without having to take anything for it?

Do you recall the last time you took a few minutes just to savor the things that made you happy?

Here's a simple way to add more richness, relaxation, and rejuvenation into your busy work-life schedule. Try incorporating a regular dose of "Attitude of Gratitude" into your day. That's right: gratitude. This technique takes less than 1 minute to do and can boost your health and happiness with persistent practice.

First of all, let's get clear on, "what is gratitude?" Gratitude, according to Cicero, is the mother of all virtues. He said that within this simple gracious self-affirming act comes a cascade of many wonderful inner human qualities. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines gratitude as: a feeling of appreciation or thanks. Scientists since the late 1990's have studied this human quality and have found many health and happiness benefits with the constant practice of it.

Gratitude, according to Robert Emmons, the world's leading researcher in the science of gratitude, explains that gratitude has two parts. According to him, "First it's an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we've received." Second, he states that it is "a relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we've been supported and affirmed by other people."

Here are some interesting facts about the practice of gratitude:

1. It leads to increasing levels of optimism and other positive emotions, which will eventually help you live a longer and happier life (R. Emmons and Sonja Lyubomirsky).

2. It's nearly impossible to be grateful and feel envious at the same time. The positive emotion of gratitude cancels out negative emotions (R. Emmons).

3. Grateful people sleep better (Wong Wing-Sze, et al).

4. Grateful people tend to exercise more than those who don't practice gratitude (R. Emmons).

5. Gratitude is an immune booster (R. Emmons and M. McCullough).

Are YOU ready to start applying this powerful technique into your life?

Here are 3 simple ways for you to choose from to begin your "attitude of gratitude" practice:

1. Do the 3 Blessings exercise, created by Robert Emmons, where you list the 3 things, big or small, that you consider being a positive experience.

2. Say more Thank You's to people around you --- especially when they seem to be correcting you. (A technique I learned from one of my Acupressure Shiatsu teacher, Caroline, over 10 years ago.) This made me feel less inadequate for making a mistake but appreciative for the potential for being better in my practice.

3. Just like the old saying, "Stop and smell the roses!" Literally stop and smell the beautiful scents of nature around you whether you are in your kitchen cooking up a quick meal or outside on your way to your car for an errand. Stop for 30 seconds and take in all the good around you.

Debbie Lyn Toomey, RN, Health & Happiness Specialist, offers quick, practical, and powerful programs to today's busy women that will triple their energy level, clarity, productivity, and enjoyment within minutes so that they will have more time to rejuvenate their body, quiet their minds, and express their inner divas. For FREE tips on how to gain more by doing less, visit http://www.ultimatehealingjourney.com

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Gratitude “Prayer” by Louise L. Hay

Deep at the center of my being there is an infinite well of gratitude. I now allow this gratitude to fill my heart, my body, my mind, my consciousness, my very being. This gratitude radiates out from me in all directions, touching everything in my world, and returns to me as more to be grateful for. The more gratitude I feel, the more I am aware that the supply is endless. The use of gratitude makes me feel good, it is an expression of my inner joy. It is a warm fuzzy in my life.

I am grateful for myself and for my body. I am grateful for my ability to see and hear, feel and taste and touch. I am grateful for my home, and I take loving care of it. I am grateful for my family and friends, and I rejoice in their company. I am grateful for my work, and I give it my best at all times. I am grateful for my talents and abilities, and I continually express them in ways that are fulfilling. I am grateful for my income, and I know that I prosper wherever I turn. I am grateful for my past experiences, for I know that they were part of my soul’s growth. I am grateful for nature, and I am respectful for every living thing. I am grateful for today, and am grateful for the tomorrows to come.

Louise L. Hay - The Universe Loves Grateful People

"Every thought we think and every word we speak is creating our future."

Oprah's Gratitude Journal - Oprah's Lifeclass - Oprah Winfrey Network

How Gratitude Serves You

Many times we get too busy trying to reach our goals, trying to acquire wealth and all the other good pleasures of life. We get choked by our regular activities that gratitude is pushed to a corner. We get overwhelmed by the many negative things that are happening around us. This write-up will help you focus on the positive side of life, read on...

Gratitude shifts your focus away from problems

When you are truly grateful for the things you have, you will automatically shift your focus away from lack and other problems. The ability to be grateful for the things you have is an ability you can decide to develop today. You can decide to see the good in everything that happens, you can decide to be thankful no matter what happens. When you develop the mindset that everything that happens to you happens for your good, things naturally begin to fall in place.

Gratitude attracts more of what you desire

The easiest and fastest way to get the things you desire is not to worry about them. Worrying doesn't solve anything, it doesn't attract good things to you. As a matter of fact, the things you worry about tend to happen most times. Gratitude repels the negative force of worrying, it diminishes your lack and helps you get more of those things that you desire. From this moment henceforth, be thankful for all you have and all you need will come to you. Use the force of gratitude to attract the things you need.

Gratitude gives strength and vitality to your body

A merry heart does well like medicine to the body. Ingratitude produces negative energies in your body, decreases your capacity to focus on tasks and greatly reduces your productivity. There is a strong connection between your mental and physical well-being. When you have a healthy mind, you have a healthy body. When you are grateful every time you build up a strong and healthy mind.

It takes just about the same effort to be grateful as it takes to be ungrateful. However it is much more beneficial for you to be grateful. From today, decide that nothing that happens will take away your ability to be grateful. Program your mind to think positively of everything that happens to you, surround yourself with positive people, read good books and listen to good music. Do not let anything steal away your ability to give THANKS.

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