Gratitude Goodies

​As we said last week, If BEING CONTENT is the cure for our discontent, GRATITUDE is the gateway to that Contentment.
So what is gratitude? Gratitude is defined as 'a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness'. Gratitude is the key to happiness in our everyday lives and the gateway to true happiness and contentment. 

Scientific studies repeatedly confirm what we know is the truth. Grateful people are happier people. Neurosciences' understanding of neuroplasticity, or the plastic and changeable nature of our brain and mind, has confirmed that when we choose to be positive and grateful we create and strengthen the neural pathways that promote our health, happiness and well being. 
Our thoughts create our reality. We feel content, abundant, happy and optimistic, when we choose...

• The positive instead of negativity
• What is going right instead of what is going wrong 
• What we have instead of what we lack

Conversely when we choose to focus on negativity, what is going wrong and what is lacking we feel discontent, unhappy, and lacking. 

There are many other benefits to being grateful including...

• Better health
• Instantly makes us feel happier
• Feeling of optimism 
• A positive future outlook 
• Peace of mind 
• Helps us to overcome the tendency to blame and criticise ourselves and others 
• Helps us to understand that often our greatest challenges bring us our greatest lessons and opportunities to grow

Interestingly, gratitude does not relate to our circumstances. Gratitude is an attitude we choose, no matter what circumstances we find our selves in. As Dieter Uchtdorf says 'We can choose to be grateful no matter what'. Some of the poorest people are often the most grateful and happy. And often those with the most are discontent and ungrateful. As David Steindl-Rast reminds us 'Happiness is not what makes us grateful. It is gratefulness that makes us happy'. 

So there are lots  of reasons to start a practice of gratitude. Why not join me in a...

Morning Gratitude practice  

1. Wake up grateful 
2. Gratitude for the spotlighted person this week .. our mothers

1.  Wake up Grateful
I can remember not too many years ago waking up full of moans and groans about getting up, the weather, the day ahead, getting to work in the traffic, and challenging patients. This was creating an unhelpful habit that was certainly not conducive to a positive, happy outlook. 
These days I try to remember to wake up grateful instead of allowing that negative soundtrack to take me to that unhappy place. 
We can start by being grateful for waking up!! And go on from there concentrating on all the things that are going right and our blessed lives. 

2.  Gratitude for my spotlighted person of the week .. my mum
Maybe a review of the 'resentment verses appreciation' blogs might be useful here. As I outlined in these blogs, some people may have suffered deep pain, hurt or abandonment, and I am not suggesting trivialising or ignoring these feelings.  It can be difficult to forgive and let go of deep hurt and resentment and may take time and therapy to do so.

I find it helpful to be aware of how easy it can be for me to slip into  negativity and resentment and replay that unhelpful soundtrack over and over. It is much more helpful to instead remember, to choose gratitude over resentment and that gratitude promotes positivity and happiness. And there is plenty to be grateful to my mother for - my life for one and all the sacrifices she made to bring me into the world. 

My personal gratitude practice this week will include...

• Gratitude to my mother for my amazing life and all the care, teaching, love and opportunities she selflessly gave to me. This of course includes many sleepless nights, working tirelessly at making my clothes, cooking meals, washing, ironing and working as a supervisor to give me education opportunities. 
• Gratitude also for the opportunities she gives me to develop virtues such as patience, humility, forgiveness and compassion for myself and her too. All the times she helped me overcome my tendency to be 'too big for my boots' And taught me humility. More about this next week.

Interestingly the definition of gratitude has  two parts,

• firstly, a readiness to show appreciation for
• and secondly a readiness to return kindness.

So my gratitude practice includes showing gratitude for my mum in my journal and remembering to thank her personally too, It also includes reflecting on and planing for how to return that kindness. Having an older mum with doctors appointments and mobility restrictions gives me lots of opportunities to repay the kindness she has shown and continues to show me. Thank you Mum.


Have a great week. Thank you all. 
Kind Regards and Best Wishes, 
Maree xx ​