The Gratitude Article that Inspired the Video!

Hi Everyone!

We’re pleased to give you with the article behind the video entitled ‘The Mystery of Gratitude’.

If you’re feeling a bit down, frustrated or maybe even a bit lost, this article might help. Or maybe life is good and you’re looking for a way to tap into even more happiness by applying the principle of gratitude.

It’s funny, even though we created the video we still watch it on a regular basis. I find it reminds me of the gifts I’ve been given which puts a whole different light on life. By the way here’s the link to the video again if you missed it or want to watch it again: click here

Also worth mentioning is our recommended reading - The Big Leap. What a great read! Its message on identifying and overcoming your upper limits gave us some great ‘aha!’ moments. Look for an upcoming article and video on the topic.

Last comment – if you haven’t been to the revamped Member site take a moment now and give it a look. There’s been at least a half dozen major improvements and several other smaller tweaks. Here’s the link to the free trial page: click here

We’re on a mission to make StepOne the best site on the web for helping you reach your goals. If you have any comments or suggestions please let me know.

Live Courageously!

Susan Nicoll
Editor – Achieve!
snicoll@StepOneVisionBoards.com

How To Apply the Mystery of Gratitude in Your Life

There is a subtle mystery to the concept of being grateful.  Those who are truly successful and live lives of lasting richness understand this mystery and apply it every day.  In turn, they carry with them an overflowing heart and a feeling of deep, abiding happiness. 

The path of gratitude is available to everyone that takes the time to find it.  But what is gratitude?

Gratitude is defined as, ‘the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful’.  Perhaps though, Melodie Beattie describes it best in her words below:

To be truly grateful is a fundamental part of creating an amazing life. Everything in the world can begin and end with being thankful.  It is a mindset that, when adopted, will keep your heart filled with happiness and your cup ‘half full’.  There is a cost however to being grateful and that is the cost of your time.

Making time each day to reflect on the gifts in your life is the fastest way to create an abundance mindset.  The trick is to find something for which you truly feel grateful and then to revisit that feeling of gratitude each day.  This in turn will give you the strength and confidence you need to overcome the obstacles between you and your goals.

For example, you may have a goal to fit into a certain size of pants or dress.  A typical challenge around losing weight is negative self talk.  You can use gratitude to combat negative self talk by first recognizing that you have been blessed with a body that despite the extra weight, is still keeping you strong.  Your body is just waiting for you to mentally and emotionally shift into a higher level of health and fitness.  When you are ready, it will respond to your new commands and transform itself into the new image you hold for it.  So, when you next start playing the ‘negative self talk’ tape see if you can replace it with words and feelings that reflect the deep sense of gratitude you have for your body.

As the challenges and realities of life take hold, gratitude can be a virtue to cling to in those moments of deepest sorrow. Everyone will at some time experience death, illness or divorce. It is how we choose to handle these difficult circumstances that will determine our ability to move through them. 

Take divorce as an example.  Approximately 50% of the population will go through a divorce.  Think about someone you know who is divorced or is considering leaving their partner.  Now think about how that person is choosing to handle the divorce.  Are they bitter and angry? Are they lashing out at their spouse? 

Or, maybe they have taken the high road and are quietly going about their business, advocating for themselves without hurting anyone around them.  Have they chosen to be grateful for the time they were happy?  Perhaps they have found the ability to be grateful for the children that came from the marriage.  They may be grateful for the experience of learning more about themselves and for discovering what’s most important to them.

If you take the time to look deeply into something, you can usually discover one or two areas for which to be grateful.  Clearly, finding gratitude isn’t always easy but it is a worthwhile endeavor.

At the most basic level, you can start with listing just two or three things each day for which you are grateful.  Need help getting started? 

How about:

It takes only a moment of reflection to experience gratitude for things like the ability to hear, to touch, to give and receive hugs, a warm house, a safe home, a full stomach, pets, family and friends.

Just imagine how you’d feel if you didn’t have these blessings in your life! 

Even on your most difficult days take just a few minutes to give thanks for the gifts in your life.  In giving thanks you will be strengthening your sense of abundance.  This in turn will allow you to see more options for happiness and give you the awareness to make different choices.

A spirit of Gratitude is an often overlooked component to creating a life of greatness and happiness.  Apply the mystery of Gratitude and you’ll find it turns the everyday aspects of life into experiences of richness and joy.

Susan Nicoll
Founder – StepOneVisionBoards.com
snicoll@StepOneVisionBoards.com

StepOne is the only Vision Board website with a section that allows Members to create and then review Gratitude statements set to music via the StepOne on-line player.