The Inspirational Power of Gratitude
Centering Thought
Being grateful engages both our hearts and our minds.
--------------------------
"Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts." Henri Frederic Amiel
Thank you. We say it all the time. Sometimes mindlessly, often with intent, expressing thanks has become the poor man’s version of gratitude. While wonderful to say and sincere in focus, thank you just does not measure up to expressing our gratitude. Thank you is something we think and say, but gratitude is something we feel and therefore do. Gratitude takes work. It takes introspection and action. Being grateful engages both our hearts and our minds. It is a joint effort, a way of life, a mindset, a mantra and our guiding light.
To be truly grateful, we need to be able to appreciate something or someone from all angles. Grateful takes acceptance. When we are grateful, we are actively involved in experiencing the thing that singles out this abundance. Grateful is something that is expressed from the inside out. It marks our acknowledgement of our buy-in to our lives. It is hard to be judgmental and be grateful. It is impossible to be depressed and sad and be grateful. Grateful is its own party. Express it.
Seeped in our own history, being grateful is a way of life. It is how we choose to live our lives based on how we perceive the world around us. While we can muster up thanks, it is almost impossible to breathe gratitude into something that is not richly cemented in our own ability to appreciate just what that person or thing brings into our lives. It is also about what we can bring into the lives of others. Thanks is universal, gratitude is personal.
So, just what are you doing within your individual ability to live an abundant and rich life? If it is a choice it is a way of life! Gratitude lights the way, because it provides us with the traction we need to celebrate success, and to step forward into whatever is next. Gratitude is a smile that we keep in our personal toolbox. We can be thankful for aspects of our life, but gratitude allows us to dig deeper. It also allows us to give back not only to others but to ourselves as well.
Action Step: Here is a powerful way to make sure that you are practicing abundance and gratitude as key components in your daily life.
Think in 3’s when you start your day! As soon as you wake up, create your first habit. Feet planted on the ground. Think of 3 things that you are grateful for in your life today. Family, pets, spouses are easy answers. What is the next layer? Being grateful has no boundaries. It can be something small, or something large, it can be someone, or it can be your own inner strength. These 3 things then become your successes for the day. How can you have more of that? Where can you expand on it? Next, think of 3 things that you would like to change or tweak in some way. Things you would like to feel more abundant about. They can be related to your successes and abundance or not related at all. These become your growth goals for the day.
All 6 things are in some way on your to-do list.
All 6 things lead to action and results.
All 6 things can change and evolve daily or over time.
Why? You change and evolve over time. Plant your gratitude at the forefront of your day, as a habit, and it will become a tool that you can refer to in all that you do.
PowHER Talk: Want to Be More Grateful?
This panel discussion talks about the difference between being grateful and being thankful. Why choose gratitude and what are the benefits? Learn tools and tips for expressing gratitude and abundance and how to develop a practice of gratitude everyday.
Randi Levin, CPC, CEO & Founder Randi Levin Coaching-- is a certified transitional life strategist, inspirational speaker, thought leader, and reinvention expert. Randi is the author of Recoloring Life Workshops as featured in The Wall Street Journal. She holds a BS Degree in Journalism from The University of Maryland and a professional coaching certification from The Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching.
