What do you think about when you hear the word gratitude? I must admit, it took me years to really understand gratitude and the power of gratitude has to make us better. When we think about making our lives better, we often think about things that are outside of our control but gratitude is something that is within our control and it helps us in the following ways.
Having An Attitude of Gratitude Helps Us To Be More Content
Ya’ll, I’m not saying it’s easy. I have often struggled with being content. It can be so easy at times to look at ourselves and our lives and find them lacking in so many ways. When I was working I struggled with my children growing up and me missing out. On the flip side of that when I was a SAHM I struggled with feeling like I was wasting my education and career knowledge, just sitting at home. Or I would examine my marriage and think of all the ways I should be a better wife or how much better my marriage should be in comparison to someone else’s. Yeah, that crazy rabbit hole.
Wanting to grow and be better is not the problem. We are not perfect and there is always room to grow. However, the problem comes when we are not truly grateful for what we have. We can become discontent with what we have and start focusing on the things we do not. Gratitude turns what we have into more than enough.
I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles. -Phil 4:10-14 MSG
Having An Attitude of Gratitude Helps Us To Focus More On Our Blessings
Gratitude often changes our perspective and our focus. I could complain about the fact that my husband always, leaves his dishes on the counter when the sink is just inches away or I can be grateful for the blessing of having a husband who gets me and loves me more than words can describe. I could complain about the mess my 3 little ones make all day long while I’m trying to work, or I could see the blessing in have 3 happy, healthy children.
Stop and take a close look at your life, count your simple blessings. They are right there in front of us but we have to shift our mindset from complaining to gratitude in order to see them. Having an attitude of gratitude allows you to focus on the blessings you have. This changes you, your attitude, and perspective for the better.
Having An Attitude of Gratitude Helps Us To Focus Less On Our Mistakes
Can I be candid here? If any of you are like me, you want to excel at everything you do. I am woman, hear me roar. I can do it all, right? Wrong. I am not good at everything. *Gasp* I have limitations. I even make mistakes. I have to admit to being human. And as part of our human nature, we fall short. And guess what? That’s ok.
So even though we make mistakes and we fail sometimes, we all still have so much to be grateful for. If we are truly honest, we can often be grateful for our mistakes or failures as well. We often learn our biggest lessons from the mistakes we have made.
Having an attitude of gratitude can change everything. Gratitude changes you for the better. It allows you to be more content while refocusing on your blessings and not on where you may feel you are failing or the mistakes you have made.
I’d love to hear about one area or thing in your life you could be more grateful for in the comments!
