Did you know that there have been studies that link happiness with gratitude? It turns out that happiness has less to do with what and how much you have and more to do with how grateful you are. This might sound really “out there,” but it makes sense. If you are grateful for your life, you appreciate it. And what is happiness but appreciating life?
I’ve talked about affirmations, and how they can help you value yourself. But I actually left something out of those conversations, and that is gratitude.
In Easy Affirmations, I mentioned using, “I love my bed!” as a way to start your morning. So, why do you love your bed? It’s comfortable. You sleep well. It’s a nice place to be. So be grateful for your bed. And then you can stretch into that next affirmation of, “Life loves me and I love life.” And add some gratitude to that as well. “I love life and am glad to greet another day.” And include the smile, it makes everything more real.
When you are grateful, and you express it, the negatives in your life lose power. Express your gratitude -– even if just to yourself -– for everything. If you do not want to say out loud, “I love you bed, thank you for another wonderful night’s sleep.” Think it. However, expressing gratitude out loud is good too. Just as you need to know that you matter in other people’s lives, they need to know that they matter in yours. So, be grateful of those around you, and let them know it.
Lately, my husband and I have been playing the “Appreciation Game” almost every night before going to bed. We take turns telling each other 3 things about the other person that we’re grateful for or that we appreciate.
Sometimes it’s a small thing like “I appreciate that you helped me wash the dishes tonight” and other times it’s a big thing like when he told me “I’m grateful that you’re carrying our baby girl in your belly and going to all these doctor’s appointments, eating healthy and taking care of yourself, you’re going to be a great mother”. It brought tears of joy to my eyes to hear those words. Every time we play this game, I feel so full of love and happiness. Try it out with your partner or with a friend — it works wonders!
I find expressing gratitude before going to sleep a brilliant way to end a day. It can even make the next day easier. Whether you do it with a partner or you do it on your own, it helps you realize how good life is when you focus on three things you’re grateful for that day.
Be grateful for things that make you smile, and look for reasons to smile. After all, a smile is one of the most common expressions of happiness. You could very well find that the process becomes easier. Not something you have to think to do, just something that is part of how you live.
Are you willing to commit to practicing gratitude on a daily basis? If so, by when? And how will you incorporate it in your daily routine? Write your answers down RIGHT NOW and honor that commitment. Trust me, it will increase your happiness!
Big or small, what aspect of your life are you grateful for every day? And please share in the comments section.
Founder & CEO of Akoya Power, LLC
Vanessa graduated from Columbia University, Phi Beta Kappa, Summa Cum Laude and received her MBA from Stanford University. After working in finance for almost ten years, Vanessa realized that she was deeply unfulfilled by her career.
She quit her job to follow her heart and transformed herself so much in the process, that she has now dedicated her life to helping other people through her home-study program, You Can Create an Ideal Life.
Vanessa is a gifted coach who has enriched my life and helped me to see myself from a totally refreshing perspective. She has a powerful armory of tools she has shared with me and has skillfully navigated me through some deep issues i have held onto and helped me to have a more compassionate view of myself. This in turn has strongly impacted both my personal life and my business. I could not recommend working with her more highly to begin a wonderful journey of rediscovery of self.