Attitude of Gratitude: 5 Tools for Appreciation

Photo: Tranuf

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. –Thornton Wilder

When life gets hectic and you begin to feel overwhelmed, take a moment to focus on the people and things you are grateful for in life. When you are grateful, other things will fall by the wayside. For example, you probably won’t be able to feel jealous and grateful at the same time. You might even be thankful for someone else’s success or their contribution to you. Being thankful gives you perspective on you situation and brings you to the present moment.

One of the most impressive reasons for being grateful is the positive impact on the way you think and feel. Research shows that grateful people have, “higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy . . .”

You will find a positive emotional state by simply focusing on the parts of your life that you are most thankful for. Appreciate the abundance in your life. Being grateful is an energizing way to start your day and a relaxing way to end it. Tony Robbins suggests to list out all the things you are grateful for as you warm up for your morning exercise. Deepak Chopra has incorporated gratitude exercises into his guided meditations. Swamiji has added similar techniques in his guided meditation; Nithya Dhyann.

Feeling gratitude is an important practice that I have brought into my daily routine. I notice that it has improved my emotional wellbeing and general happiness.

Sometimes a quick visual reminder is all you need to bring you back to a place of thankfulness and abundance.

1. Gratitude Journal: Each evening you can list the things for which you are grateful. Start with just five things. You will soon see that your list is much longer than you expected. Personally, I have found that the best part of a Gratitude Journal is the record it creates; pages and pages of my personal history of abundance.

2. Gratitude Rock: Find a rock that feels good in your hand. Name it your ‘gratitude rock’, carry it with you along with your keys and wallet. The idea is to remember and say “Thank You” for something in your life, each time you touch or see the rock. For example, when you empty your pocket at night; when you pack up your things in the morning; when you reach for your keys. An actual rock is not necessary; you can use anything small as a figurative representation. My mother uses a cute little keychain as her gratitude rock.

3. Gratitude Beads: Collect a short string of unique beads, and give significance to each one. As you run your fingers through them, with each bead, think of one thing you are grateful for. If you use beads in this way, gratitude can be a bridge to meditation and peace. At bedtime, instead of thinking peaceful thoughts and resting, my mind may be overtaken with all the things I have left to do. Running my fingers over gratitude beads allow me to focus on my many wonders and blessings as I go to sleep.

4. Wheel of Gratitude: Use this tool to make a mental map of who and what you are grateful for in your life. Simon Perkins’ blog offers this technique as part of his mission to, “help everyday individuals cut through our self-imposed limitations and start enjoying life.” This is a compact display of all the richness in your life (and it fits neatly inside the cover of your Gratitude Journal.)

5. Gratitude Diet: My friend Dave developed a product called the gratitude diet with a daily 10 minute video for you to watch and relax into. The videos are designed to put you in a state of abundance and gratitude.

Gratitude can make a real difference in your ability to feel positive, both emotionally and physically. Try one or two of these tools for two weeks and feel the benefits yourself. You will be amazed at what you discover.

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47 Responses (29 Comments, 18 Trackbacks ):

Comments

1. Alicia Perry

   Oct 16 07, 5:45 am PST

   1

   Have you heard about a new book by positive psychologist Dr. Robert Emmons about gratitude? It is called “Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.” He researched gratitude using scientific experiments for 8 years and came up with some amazing results. For his “10 Prescriptions to be more Grateful” and more, I invite you to visit http://www.thanksbook.com.

2. Tina Su

   Oct 16 07, 6:47 am PST

   2

   Alicia, no I have not. That sounds really interesting. I will look into it. Thanks for the info!

3. yolanda

   Oct 16 07, 8:10 pm PST

   3

   There may rain or shine during your whole life, if people could be grateful for all they get, life would be much simpler.

4. Jerad Kaliher

   Oct 16 07, 10:54 pm PST

   4

   Dylan got it right when he wrote “A day above ground is a good day.”

   It’s all about generally being happy to be alive. People are so mixed up in attitudes that debilitate them that they can’t stop to say thank you once in a while.

5. Ramvie

   Oct 17 07, 12:54 am PST

   5

   I read the article, for me, it is really a nice one. Appreciation to others sincerity and humbleness lead you to good life and peace of mind because you are kind hearted. If you have a lot to be thankful about, you will be more prolonged to more advancement in life financially and emotionally.

6. Sarah F

   Oct 17 07, 2:34 am PST

   6

   For years I carried a picture of an earthquake victim who was badly disfigured and lost his entire family, a boy only 11 years old, everytime I thought my life was bad, I took out my wallet and looked at the picture to remind me there are people that have it worse than I do, then I started to appreciate everything, good or bad, my life threw my way…

7. Lawrence Cheok

   Oct 17 07, 6:49 am PST

   7

   Hi Tina,

   I also carry a Gratitude Rock around :) Each time that I feel stresses, angry or hurt, I take that stone out and ‘summon’ back feelings of gratitude through things that I’m grateful for in my life. My mother, my lovely wife etc.

   Even normals things that we take for granted like ability to walk, type, brush our teeth can be sources of gratitude. Nick Vujicic, a man without limbs is one such man who feels my heart with gratitude each time I watch his video. My recommendation to you. I’m sure you’ll feel it too.

   Take care.

8. Tina Su

   Oct 17 07, 7:24 am PST

   8

   yolanda, I love that quote. Thank you for sharing. I’m gonna write that one down.

9. Tina Su

   Oct 17 07, 7:26 am PST

   9

   Thank you Ramvie and Sarah.

   Sarah, that’s a great idea, and an inspirational one.

10. Tina Su

    Oct 17 07, 7:28 am PST

    10

    Lawrence, Thank you so much for the link. I will watch the video. I used to do gratitude sessions in the bath or in bed.. and it can take as long as 20-30 minutes.. where I give thanks to every little part of my body,everyone in my life, and all the opportunities and love I have. I feel so rich afterwards and my heart filled with love. It’s such a wonderful feeling! After I started doing this, miracles started popping up in my life.

11. Lawrence Cheok

    Oct 17 07, 4:06 pm PST

    11

    Woah Tina, it’s seems like you’re filled with much more gratitude than I am. I guess that’s where are your positivity and energy stems from. I do believe that gratitude provides us with such a positive frame of mind that “miracles starts popping up”. Some people calls that the Law of Attraction. For me, I just believe that people are naturally attracted to positive and happy people.

12. Junelle

    Oct 18 07, 6:08 am PST

    12

    I have been through a lot these past few months of my life, reading this post in your blog gives me a new way to face life. Now, I would be starting my Gratitude tools to face life in a positive way.

13. Sachin2

    Oct 19 07, 9:40 pm PST

    13

    I really enjoyed reading your article. I am a great fan of Deepak Chopra, for the books he wrote. I really follow his writings especially from the book ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success’. This book taught us how to live life peacefully. Taught us how to control your anger and always be thankful to other for what they have done for you.

    Gratitude surely helps you to achieve positive vision in your life. This makes you kind hearted, forget your sorrows, and that helps you to live life in peaceful way.

14. Tina Su

    Oct 20 07, 1:06 am PST

    14

    I love Deepak Chopra too. Hmmm… I will pick up that book again. I used to have cue cards created for that book so that I could carry it everywhere with me. :) Thanks for reading!

15. Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker

    Oct 24 07, 11:56 pm PST

    15

    Tina Su, I find that having an “attitude of gratitude” early in the morning can set the mood for the whole day. Have a glorious day.

16. Tina Su

    Oct 25 07, 12:05 am PST

    16

    Re: “attitude of gratitude” early in the morning

    Patricia, I hear ya, I feel the same. I know this, yet it’s challenging in the mornings to follow through. I need to make a commitment to myself again to habituate some of these routines that I Know works.

17. Hueina Su - Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul

    Nov 10 07, 11:25 pm PST

    17

    Tina:

    Thank you for sharing these wonderful tools with the Carnival of Healing #111 edition, posted at Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul.

    Blessings,
    Hueina

18. Patricia - Spiritual Journey Of A Lightworker

    Nov 11 07, 2:45 pm PST

    18

    I love doing gratitude journals. One year, I gave gratitude journals as gifts to family and friends. Writing in a gratitude journal helps you to connect with the gifts that life brings into your area of experience.

19. Steve Nguyen

    Jan 11 08, 7:09 pm PST

    19

    These are some fantastic tools for showing others how much we appreciate them. They’re also a nice way to remind ourselves of the things to be grateful for.

20. jd

    Feb 14 08, 11:38 pm PST

    20

    Hey Tina -

    Nice list!

    I use a set of questions to cap my day:
    - What did I learn?
    - What did I improve?
    - What did I enjoy?
    - What kind act did I do?

21. Jonathan Mead

    Feb 20 08, 1:57 pm PST

    21

    I always feel my state transform as I stop and think about what I’m grateful for. I believe this is an especially effective way to start each day.

22. Devesh

    Jul 01 08, 7:19 pm PST

    22

    Whoa! What a coincidence me landing on this. Just recently I started a Gratitude Journal of my own hehe (I know I haven’t updated for a few days though) – http://devesh.net/gratitudejournal

23. Jennifer

    Oct 05 08, 2:07 am PST

    23

    One of the tricks I use when I’m feeling overwhelmed and finding it rather hard to turn my thoughts around, is to think of my grandparents and the life they lived.
    I think about how they scrimped to eek out a basic existence, how money was always tight and one kg of mince meat (hamburger) had to feed a family of five for 4 nights.
    I think about my own pantry, how full it always is.
    I think about how they themselves felt lucky to have even one car, and we one each.

    By this stage I’ve started to turn my thoughts around, and find it much easier to start appreciating the things I often take for granted. That starts me on a gratitude roll, and away I go…

24. Alexandra Teklak

    Nov 10 08, 7:19 pm PST

    24

    Here’s a website focused on the experience of gratitude, while you donate $5 to Nourish America, which gives children here in the United States food and nourishment. Gratitude is vital to access the highest vibrations of appreciation and open the gateways to more of what’s possible for us. Check it out http://www.theiamgratefulproject.org – we are one, coming together to help each other in love and gratitude.

25. Denise Eider

    Nov 19 08, 1:07 pm PST

    25

    These are great suggestions on keeping gratitude on your mind always. We are nearing the “season” when everyone remembers to be thankful for all and everyone in our life. It’s not just a season. We should remember to appreciate 365 days a year, not just at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thank you for sharing your steps to incoroporating it into my daily life.

26. Christie

    Mar 09 09, 2:58 pm PST

    26

    When you have a God who knows what you are about to ask and knows all your thoughts, the best form of asking for your desires, is to say “thank you” Lord. For you know then you are going to have it. The other fact that you are alive or that you were born into this earth is not of your asking. It’s a gift given to you without asking. The bible says, that we were created before the foundation of the earth and that He knit us in the palms of His hand. The hairs on our body are numbered. Which means how much care has gone into our creation. He also created us in His image, which made even the angels jealous. What more gaurantee do we need. Thank you Lord for today and every day of our life that is left on this planet. Thank you Lord for all the gifts that you give us in this journey to keep us happy. That could be friends, parents, the beautiful earth we live in and all the experiences that we come across. For a life time of thanks won’t be enough. So, let us ever remain grateful for our journey here, until we go back to where we came from, our master.

27. rogaine hair regrowth

    Dec 24 10, 1:16 pm PST

    27

    I appreciate your good work.thanks for sharing this helpful post.

28. Kaganzy Albert(Uganda)

    May 30 11, 11:22 am PST

    28

    This artIcle has really restored all d importance of gratitude that had fled my body.I am a new man!

29. Vinayak K Pattar

    Dec 30 11, 8:57 pm PST

    29

    Thak you for nice article. I can share something with you.

    Everything is based on attraction. Positive, negative and neutral. So many thought will come to our mind in the form so many different directions that’s all depend on our emotional guidance of our system it will help to understand what we are thinking and what we are going to do, that is our own emotions, we have two mind, one is good and one is bad, it’s all based on attraction it proceeds to negative emotions and positive emotions it will make sense and literally it will formulating our future experience taking past as reference. Is that law of attraction?

    Vinayak K Pattar
    M.Sc PHYSICS
    Bangalore.

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