PERSONAL NOTE

Well, here we are in March about ready to officially enter Spring (my favorite of the seasons).  I live in San Diego and yes, we pay dearly to have the kind of weather that we have here, however, this winter we needed swimming lessons.  It's puzzling sometimes when the weather goes from a severe drought to downpours, yet I am very grateful for the rain.  That brings me to the topic for this month, gratitude. It is the easiest way to move your attention from the woes of the world to having a heart full of joy; and it's free. So, let's look at it. 

ARTICLE

Unleashing Gratitude’s Potential

For a long time, people have known that being thankful can make you happier. Many studies show that having a positive and thankful attitude can help you succeed in different parts of your life, like work, health, sports, business, feeling good overall, and even getting better after surgery.

Even though you know being thankful is good for you, it can still be hard to keep it up. Society usually makes you focus on what you don't have or what's not perfect in your life. But to really make gratitude work for you and help you feel better, you need to make it a habit every day, not just on Thanksgiving. This might take some time and effort, but it's worth it.

This is precisely why the practice of gratitude holds so much value for you. By consciously expressing gratitude for what you have instead of lamenting what you lack, you open yourself up to viewing life as a series of opportunities and blessings.

It's important to note that gratitude isn't about adopting a blindly optimistic outlook that ignores life's challenges or injustices. Rather, it's about consciously directing your focus and attention towards the positives, even amidst adversity. While pain and suffering are undeniable realities, choosing to acknowledge and appreciate life's gifts can foster a profound sense of well-being and hope, acting as a counterbalance to life's hardships.

There is no shortage of things for you to be grateful for—whether it's the vibrant hues of autumn leaves, your ability to go for a walk, the presence of attentive friends, or the simple pleasures of chocolate and fresh bread. The possibilities for gratitude are endless; what matters is recognizing and appreciating them.

To bring gratitude into your daily life, there are various practices you can adopt:

• Keep a gratitude list, jotting down things you're thankful for on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Simply having the list visible can serve as a reminder to cultivate a grateful mindset.
• Create a gratitude collage, either through drawing or pasting pictures that represent the people, places, and things you appreciate.
• Bring gratitude into your daily routines, whether it's expressing thanks when you are interacting with others or incorporating it into your bedtime ritual.
• Challenge yourself to find the silver lining in difficult situations, reframing challenges as opportunities for growth.
• When the urge to complain arises, shift your perspective by making a list of things you're grateful for and you will notice the immediate uplift in your mood.

As you keep doing these gratitude exercises, you start to feel happier and more positive inside. This lasting joy shows how gratitude can really change your life for the better. 

COOL RESOURCE

Some people are great at journaling, I am not.  As much as I realize it's beneficial, I just don't do it on a regular basis.  Can you relate?  Does that sound like you too?  Well, these little notepads called Attitude of Gratitude are an easy way to acknowledge your gratitude daily without journaling.  Here is a link to the Amazon page if you want to check them out.   https://tinyurl.com/5fdarpnd  I have them and use them all the time.  (By the way, I Do Not make any money from any product I recommend.) 

POWERFUL QUOTE

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward

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Stay safe, healthy, and happy!

Coach Jan