Do you want to feel more optimistic, feel better satisfaction and develop a positive outlook towards life and towards yourself? If you can develop this one simple habit you can build that positive attitude and happiness in yourself – Gratitude. And I can vouch for it from my own personal experience too.

Well I have not been able to post videos for more than a month now. I have been unwell, and it has taken a while for me to recover. The reason I am sharing this is that the topic that I picked up for this video is based on one of the processes that I went through and experienced a significant positive outcome.

Very high fever and body pain and a whole gamut of other issues, Physically in pain, mentally frustrated, and emotionally drained. All that was filling up my mind with negativity, I was wallowing in self-pity and loathing. Then I made a choice to ask for support. And I started receiving support from expected and unexpected quarters. One sent me food, another took me to the hospital, another came down to take care of me, so many enquired about my health every day. 

What really helped me was not just that simple ask, and subsequently accounting for all the support, care and love that I received and feeling gratitude for the same.

So let us find out how to build this habit of gratitude that can offer you potentially limitless benefits.

1. Stop discounting.  Start accounting

If you want to develop a habit of gratitude, it is important that we start accounting for all the big small mini micro good things that are happening all around us. It could be the big promotion that you got, getting parking in a packed lot, everyday things like having running water, electricity, or a cool breeze on your face in the balcony or a cute little flower blooming on the road side or a random baby in mother’s arms – smiling at you.

It is very easy for us to pick out and list out the negatives which are happening with us, things to worry or regret and our brain continues in the same pathway to look for more negatives. In this process we also miss out or discount or minimise the positives around us. I am not saying ignore the problems. But at same time stop discounting and start accounting for all the good happening around you.

2. Taking things for granted.

Ask yourself do you have the habit of taking things for granted? Do you notice and appreciate things that your parents do for you or partner does for you, even if it is done every single day? Do you find yourself noticing it only when it is not available or not happening?

Do you invest and appreciate the people and the relationships around you? Do you express your appreciation for their presence in your life? People around you, be it your partner, your parents, children, friends, neighbours, colleagues each one may enrich your life in their own way.

3. Grateful Start and end for your day

Start your day, when you open your eyes, even before getting off the bed, think about three things that you are grateful for. This is a wonderful way of setting up your mind in a positive frame, to be in a better mood and positive attitude.  This also enables you to account for the good things that happens during the day and a positive mindset to take on whatever the day offers you.

You can send your day by writing down things that you are grateful for either in that day or others in your gratitude journal.

4. Show and express your gratitude

When you are willing to show and express your gratitude not just two others but also to yourself you are building better relationship with others and your own self.  Showing your expressing gratitude is not just about saying thank you. It is important that you really mean it and feel the gratitude when you express it. You can use words and actions to express to others. Internally you can account for your blessings, positive experiences, love and warmth that you receive or have received at some time. Show Express and feel gratitude both internally and to others as well.

Well research has shown that developing the habit of gratitude allows people to experience a lot more positive emotions like excitement curiosity interest joy with an increase in the frequency of these emotions. This one simple habit allows for more positive experiences to occur and be accounted for.

About the Author:

Kala Balasubramanian is a certified Counselling Psychologist and Psychotherapist with a Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Diplomas in Counselling and has further certifications specializing in couple/marriage/relationship counselling and family counselling. She is trained in different modalities like CBT, Gestalt, NLP, Family Systems Therapy, Transactional Analysis etc. As a trained therapist, she provides professional and confidential counselling services including Individual counselling and Couples counselling / Marriage counselling

Currently with the COVID-19 situation, all counselling and therapy services are offered online over video calls. Reach us at +91 9632146316 or write to us at counselor@innerdawn.in

The post A simple habit for happiness and life satisfaction-Gratitude first appeared on Inner Dawn Counselling.