Attitude of Gratitude

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“Joy comes to us in ordinary moments.  We risk missing out when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary. – Brene Brown”

Have you experienced a sudden heavy downpour of rain and you’re in the middle of the road, don’t have a coat or an umbrella and yet you can still manage to say thank you? Some may be grateful that it did rain and some may not be because of inconvenience and adversity that it may cause to other people. We, human as we are, when unexpected things occur, our normal reactions are what happened, why, we’re not ready, and don’t we deserve the good things in the world?  There are unlimited words and even reactions that I could think of, based on what I read, heard, saw and learned from myself and other people.

These days, a lot of companies are looking for people who have an attitude of gratitude. I’ve heard comments from key executives of different companies that they prefer EQ over IQ. We are in an imperfect world that is full of challenges, disputes, and less truthful people.  There are times that we may find hard to be grateful. Normally it is easier to be disappointed, angry, and few more worthless thoughts that will just make our day unpleasant.  Definitely though, there is hope.  However, we must improve, have a better understanding of things around us, and appreciate and enjoy the things that are available to us.  Here are some tips on how we can have and cultivate the “Attitude of Gratitude.”

1. Pray – Start your day by immediately thanking God that you’re still alive and being given another day and for the opportunities that await you.
2. Appreciate – Look around you and you will see unlimited blessings that are available that you may not have noticed because these became part of your routine.  Enjoy the weather, feel happy for the morning greetings by your love ones, your reliable phone, the working computer/laptop that you use in the office, the people who are there for you, the means of transportation available, your freedom, and a million other things that you have for the day.
3. Acknowledge – Nothing and no one is perfect. It is a great relief to realize that we live in an uncertain world. Accept the realities that there maybe bad traffic in your route, heavy downpour of rain or you may encounter rude people. These are the realities that may happen in a day.  Inspite of these, be grateful that we have a place to go home to, a transport to bring us home, and a family that care.
4. Compliment – This is one of the best attitudes that we can all have.  It’s free and easy.  Just say thank you, you’re welcome, have a great day and so on. These powerful words will definitely help someone who may not be having a good day.
5. Write – It is not a requirement to come up with a novel or a long list of the events that occurred in a day. Simple notes depicting your day will definitely make you realize that it may not be perfect but it was not that worst. You may include your gratitude for having a good meal, a working shoes that you used for running, a friend who said hi or even a client who bullied you.  These are important highlights that you have to take note and be sure to appreciate them.  After all, everything that you wrote in your notebook/journal is the reason why you had and survived your day.

Once you start doing these things, you’d immediately feel a different kind of emotions. If in case there will be times that it’s hard to be grateful in the things that you have and do, just stop, breathe and pray. Remember to practice gratitude for the right reason and make it a habit. A single gratitude a day will surely give you a smile that will reach thousands of miles away.[/vc_column_text][thb_gap height=”40″][/vc_column][/vc_row]