How do we do that?
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
— G.K. Chesterton
In last week’s posts we celebrated the helpers who sprung up to assist an injured friend, a cornucopia of new beginnings for an off-the-track fitness resolution and the wellspring of hope that the habit of gratitude engenders. All of which got me to thinking about how to persist in the face of various challenges.
In her most recent post, From Gratitude Comes Hope, PattiAnn observed that:
Developing a habit of gratitude helps us to remember that there is good with the bad. It feeds our hope. With hope, we can put one foot in front of the other and triumphantly cross the finish line.
And in my post, Begin Again, I encouraged myself (and you as well) to:
Persist quietly and subtly, but persist. Begin again and enjoy the journey.
Gratitude Made Obvious Fuels Our Persistence
It occurs to me now: another simple way to fuel our hope (and thus energize our persistence) would be to heed the advice of Chris Guillebeau who recommends practicing gratefulness by taking action that shows the gratitude we feel.
Ok now. How do we do that? What would it look like? What actions could each of us take that would show our gratitude?
In his book, Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, Robert Emmons offers clues for making our gratitude obvious. He tells us that there are two primary obstacles to being grateful:
- Forgetfulness
- Lack of mindful awareness
If that’s the case, then it seems to me that anything we can do that helps us notice and remember our blessings will in fact be demonstrations of our gratitude.
Notice and Remember Our Blessings
For instance, when you’re happy, notice the sights and sounds and smells that envelope you; appreciate them! Then let those sights, sounds and smells become triggers reminding you to pay-it-forward by encouraging someone else.
Emmons suggests creating visuals that remind you of your blessings — message-art tchotchkes, sentimental photos and post-its notes like those in the photo above. And he recommends “going through grateful motions” such as saying “thank you” and writing letters of thanks.
Or, perhaps even more basic, remember to offer up an off-the-cuff prayer of gratitude whenever and where ever your blessings become apparent to you. Don’t wait. Just do. In fact, to paraphrase that little nursery school ditty:
If you’re grateful and you know it, SHOUT IT OUT!
Of course, there’s always the old standby: gratitude journaling. It needn’t be elaborate. Simply open and close your day by naming five things you’re grateful for. Do it in your head or on paper or via a keyboard/computer screen. If you want a little help jump-starting this gratitude habit, check out www.FiveDailyGratitudes.com and then do your own – Just five. Just do it… “Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy”.
These words I hold true:
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
— Melody Beattie
Thank you, good readers, for being here with us. You make our blog a place we can rejoice in!
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