Make Gratitude Your “Why”
For many of you, Thanksgiving kicks off a season of stress. To experience moving forward this holiday season, I’m going to give you the secret to lowering your stress regardless of the amount of time you’ll be around your family and friends. Make gratitude your “why”.
Here are four reasons why you should make gratitude your why:
- Gratitude changes your perspective. Being grateful for the people in your life changes your perspective of people in your life.
- Gratitude controls your mouth. It’s hard to have a negative voice when you practice gratitude.
- Gratitude conditions your environment. Gratitude is disarming. Most people recognize and appreciate a grateful response, even in the most trying of conversations.
- Gratitude conditions your heart. Best of all, gratitude changes your heart giving you more patience, grace, and mercy toward people and the situation.
Don’t just simply go into the holiday season, grow into it!
Make it a habit to spend 5 minutes every morning to simply reflect on all you have to be grateful for. When you begin to feel your body go into fight or flight mode, take a moment to breathe and identify something you are grateful for. Even better, find someone around you and share your gratitude.
WARNING: Be authentic in your gratitude. Really meditate on it. Go deep to gain a deeper appreciation for the people in your life and be grateful for them just as they are. Then go into the holiday with that as your why.