Hi, Everyone! It’s Thursday – ready for Attitude of Gratitude? Today I want to share with you one of the many books available that discuss and teach how we can practice gratitude. There is a wealth of information to be had, but today I am focusing on a book that I read and felt was a real find for me. The author is Robert Emmons and the book is Gratitude Works! 

In his book Prof. Emmons presents a 21 day program for creating emotional health. Prof. Emmons is the world expert on gratitude. His research has shown that gratitude has the power to heal, to energize, and to give hope during the tough times. 

It allows us to view life in the big picture and not allow specific bumps, even very big ones, to overwhelm us into despair. His method is not to deny the challenges but to reframe them. Look at what positive things resulted from these very same challenges. Prof. Emmons gives us pointers into the how of practice gratitude and making it a permanent part of your life. 

One aspect is intention. Marking out a specific time of day when you will put this into practice. Whatever works for you. Is morning the time you want to dedicate to it in order to kick start your day? Or perhaps mid-day is when you feel down and it is more appropriate then. Nights are when we may feel depleted from the day’s struggles and practicing gratefulness then could wrap it up in a cheery bow. Zone in – go deeply into the territory of gratitude. 

Making it a habit is crucial. When things are flowing along it isn’t hard to stop and find things to be grateful for. It’s when you are in the muck that it is tough. Yet, when you have made it a habit your mind travels down that path even when you are feeling down. It is trained to look past the hardship and find the hidden jewel. Your mood changes, your energy changes and you begin to feel more alive. 

Choose the number of items you wish to be grateful for each day – five, ten, fifteen. It’s up to you. Five is a good place to begin. I am grateful that I got up in the morning, that I can move my toes. I am grateful that I got out of bed, that I got into my car and I had a great breakfast. 

Now, Emmons tells us to go into it. Delve, explore, elaborate. I am grateful that I can get into my car when it is raining buckets. No puddles, no wet clothes. I strap my kids in and off we go, protected from the elements. So easy. 

I had a great breakfast. I had waffles swimming in delicious honey flavored syrup, toasted to perfection. My coffee was hot and strong, just the way I liked it. And the radio played my favorite song in the background. 

When you itemize and elaborate you will feel the excitement stemming from the positive aspects of your life. Get a copy of the book and read it. Put it into place and practice it. See how it can attract positivity. 

Share with us what worked for you what didn’t. Which practice worked the best? 

Find your way to connect to gratitude. You have nothing to lose. Let me know if it helped. And thanks for being part of our group!