Shownotes
Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy
Welcome to Day 174 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.
This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.
7 Ways to Boost Your Gratitude
Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 174 of our Trek, and yesterday we hiked on the trails of unleashing gratitude in your life. Today as we hike on our trail, we will search for the 7-mile markers to boost your gratitude. If you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.
We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. By the time this episode is released, we will be back at The Big House for a couple of weeks. In addition to a smaller family Thanksgiving celebration, we will be headlong in the leaf harvest. Most of the leaves have fallen, and the ground is covered quite thick with leaves. With about three acres of open area to collect from, that is a lot of leaves. On Wednesday this past week, we were able to spend an evening out with my sister Rebecca, which is one of the monthly blessings that I look forward to as we always enjoy the time reminiscing and sharing God’s blessings in our lives. Rebecca is a marvelous piano player, and as I approached her door to let her know we had arrived, the beautiful playing of the old hymn “Count Your Blessings” was flowing from her fingertips. One of the best ways to boost your gratitude is to count your blessings and name them one by one. It is then you will see that your life is full.
So let’s get started on our trek in our exploration for the…
7 Mile Markers to Boost Your Gratitude
It is the season to be grateful. After all, the dictionary defines the word “thanksgiving” as “the expression of gratitude.”
Gratitude refers to feeling thankfulness and appreciation for people, places, and events. An attitude of gratitude can really change your life. As Willie Nelson once said, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
How do you boost your attitude of gratitude?
Okay, I will admit, there are times when we just don’t feel very thankful. Sometimes life deals us a bad hand, which may be completely out of our control. But how we play that hand is what counts. Let’s hike our trail today and look for the seven mile markers to help you boost your gratitude. I will let you in on a little secret here…Most of these take very little time and absolutely no money! I want to challenge you to make a point to try any one (or more) of these today to improve your attitude of gratitude.
1. Say thank you more frequently.
Thank everyone around you, from the people who serve you or those who simply exist in your life. No need to wait until someone does something huge for you. Just the mere fact that your spouse or friend is in your life can warrant a “thank you.”
More than just saying it, it is also important that you really feel it. President John F. Kennedy put it this way, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”
We focus so much on saying “thank you,” in our society (especially with children) that sometimes we don’t make the connection between the words and the genuine, heartfelt gratitude they should convey. Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful reminder for all of us to take some time to thank the people in our lives for all those intangible gifts they give us every day – gifts of compassion, friendship, laughter, support, and love. So much to be thankful for!
Make sure when you do thank someone you also experience the sense of appreciation for them.
2. Be present.
Many of us are well versed at juggling dozens of different thoughts in our heads at once. It is tough to feel true gratitude when your attention is divided. Take the time to really focus on the person you are with or the event that is happening at the moment. Stop, even if just for a moment, to concentrate on how much you appreciate a sunny day, the food you are eating, or the person sitting next to you.
3. Write a letter of thanks.
Identify someone who has impacted your life, perhaps an elementary school teacher, an old friend, or a family member. Write that individual a letter explaining why they are so important to you, what you have learned from them, and how they have affected your life. This is not the time to be reserved; really share your heart in the letter. Simply the act of conceptualizing and writing this letter can boost your feelings of gratitude.
4. Schedule “gratitude moments.”
We all get so busy with life that even our best intentions do not always come to fruition. To help incorporate more gratitude into your day life, schedule at least a few minutes each day to focus on gratitude.
For some people, doing this first thing in the morning is optimal because it starts their day on a positive note and helps them bring gratitude into rest of their day. At the end of the day before bed can also be a terrific time to focus on what you appreciated about your day. It is a nice way to review what happened and go to bed on a positive note and can even help you get a better night of sleep.
Another option is to actually schedule gratitude time as if it were an appointment. I find that I am actually happier and more productive as a result of a quick gratitude break.
5. Have a “happy” meal.
I’m not talking about the kind of happy meal that comes with French fries and a plastic toy but rather the kind that offers the gift of gratitude. Sit down with family and/or friends for a “happy” meal. Take turns talking about each person and what you appreciate about them. Offer specific examples, such as, “I really appreciate that you took the time to call me after my big presentation, even though you were busy with your work.” This mind shift helps you and those around you feel more connected and loved.
6. Avoid complaining or passing judgment for an entire day.
When we judge and criticize others (and even ourselves), we cannot truly experience gratitude. Being nonjudgmental can be difficult for most people as we often think in judgmental ways without realizing it. Take control of your thoughts and notice the benefits to you and those around you. Once you have become proficient at this, challenge yourself with the 21-day gratitude challenge – No judgment, gossip or criticizing for 21 days!
7. Start a gratitude journal.
Write out things each day that you appreciate. Don’t feel like the things you write in your journal need to be big or life changing. Even being grateful for something seemingly simple or small, like the sun shining, counts too!
If you are struggling with someone or something in your life, make sure that at least one of your daily journal entries is related to that person or situation. Most of us are better at identifying things we don’t like about ourselves or things we should do better, rather than the good things, which leaves us with low self-esteem and greater stress. Challenge yourself to identify at least one thing you appreciate about yourself each day. This is not being egocentric; it is being kind to yourself. That kindness will not only be a benefit to you but also those around you. After all, the happier you are, the more likely people in your life will be happier, too.
And a bonus tip…Let us never forget the one that we owe all thanks to as is mentioned several times in the book of Psalms, such as in 118:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.”
I want to challenge you today to try at least one of these tips and report back in the comments of our journal page for Day 174. What was the experience like?
Boosting your gratitude takes very little time and does not cost anything. Have you had your gratitude boost for today? One way to encourage your friends and family is to invite them to join us each day and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy as we continue our trek and focus on how wise it is to be thankful in a series of short, inspiring stories.
That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.
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Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.
As we take this Trek together, let us always:
- Live Abundantly (Fully)
- Love Unconditionally
- Listen Intentionally
- Learn Continuously
- Lend to others Generously
- Lead with Integrity
- Leave a Living Legacy Each Day
This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!