Life Satisfaction

How can I get more from my life? It's a common question. You may be surprised to learn the answer. Getting more from life is not about acquiring or achieving. The answer is simpler and available to everyone.

"Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never have enough." - Oprah Winfrey

Gratitude Is a Muscle

Even in more challenging times, we have reasons to pause and be grateful. While it might seem like an oversimplification or an easy way out, the active practice of gratitude takes genuine effort. Think of it as a muscle that needs regular exercise.

We can choose to focus only on the problems or we can courageously embrace what is going well.

The Impact of Gratitude

Two recent studies followed people over time to examine the connection between gratitude and life satisfaction. They found that people who practice gratitude felt significantly higher satisfaction with their life. You can learn more about these studies from The Reciprocal Relationship Between Gratitude and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from Two Longitudinal Field Studies published by Frontiers in Psychology.

What Does It Mean?

Let's think more about this. What does it mean to be grateful? —It is a way of looking at life, an orientation that affects everything you experience.

What does it mean to be satisfied with your life? This question is even bigger. It touches upon everything we value: our health, our relationships, and our work.

When we make gratitude a deliberate practice that we undertake every day, we change the way our minds work and we make space in our hearts to experience true joy. I have been keeping a gratitude journal for years. It has seen me through challenging times and successful moments. It's a habit I don't plan on stopping any time soon.

How to Practice Gratitude

Here are some tips for making the practice of gratitude work for you:

1. Notice when good things happen. As with many things in life, it's about paying attention. Be on the watch for good things in your life. Actively seek out the good moments, and when you experience them, appreciate them.
2.  Savour the moment fully. Think of good moments as ice cream. Let the moment melt slowly on your tongue. Give as much attention to good things as you might when something difficult happens. It is one of the best ways to realize your good fortune right now.
3. Express your gratitude. If you keep gratitude to yourself, you limit its power. Write down your observations and feelings. Many people use a journal to do this, and make it a regular practice they do every day, either when they wake up or before they go to sleep. Another way to express your gratitude is to tell someone else about your experience or thank them for their actions.

"I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness--it's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude." - Brene Brown

Call to Action

For at least one week, set aside 5 minutes every day to write down what you are grateful for.

Your Friends,
The UpCloseTeam