The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness according to Webster’s dictionary. Something so easy yet so difficult to demonstrate. Think about this quote: It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude. It’s gratitude that brings us happiness.

Gratitude is a lost art. We hear too many people murmuring, grumbling, and complaining. So negative and so full of negativity. The amazing thing is the opposite of complaining is being grateful.

I want to encourage you to go on a 30 day complaining fast where you don’t complain for 30 days. It sounds really simple until you start to try it. You will begin to realize that by nature we are negative individuals, human beings. We tend to focus more on the negative instead of the positive. The good news is that you can change your mindset by focusing on all of the positive in your life. And how do you begin doing this? By focusing on the things your are grateful for! Truth is, there’s always something to be thankful for. You might just need to look a little closer.

So for sometime now I have been practicing gratitude. I first wake up and before my feet hit the floor I go over 5 things I’m thankful for. Usually something like, thank you God for a new day, I’m thankful to be alive. I’m thankful for my husband. I’m thankful for my children. I’m thankful for my loved ones. It’s really simple. You should try it sometime. It immediately puts your mind into a state of gratitude. In another post I will mention other ways I practice gratitude. For now, I want to encourage you to begin and end your day with gratitude!

Have a blessed day!

Amazed by His grace,

~Ofelia