Monday, June 20, 2011

5 Inspiring Ways to Live Your Life with Gratitude


I truly believe the most important thing we must do on a daily basis is to live our life with gratitude. When there is so much heartache in the world it's easy to fall into the pattern of feeling like nothing is going right in our own little part of the world. This negative perception will get us no where. Such as, I can't loss weight, why do my children constantly bicker, my book sales are not where I want them to be, etc. The negatives are endless if we allow them to be. That's where my "5 Inspiring Ways to Live Your Life with Gratitude" come in:

Start your day with prayer. It does not matter what religion you follow. "Thank you Lord, for this new day and the possibilities it comes along with it. Amen." Or use what ever prayer you prefer. Each day is a gift and we should treat it as such. We do not know how long our time on Earth will be so live it with honor and love.

Give thanks to the roof over your head and the comforts within. When my daughter (who is now 16) was 8 years old she came home from a new school chums house and exclaimed that Lauren was very lucky because she lived in a huge house and must be very rich. My dear old neighbor, Tom (who grew up in the Depression), took this opportunity to ask Nicole what she saw when she looked at her backyard, to describe what was in her house, and who was sitting along side her at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on a weekday. She went on to list her swing set, basketball court, and her Barbie dolls and all the fun pieces that go along with it, her own room, and that her mom was sitting next to her. He then replied, "Well my dear Nicole, in my book you are a very rich girl and you have all that you need. Especially a mom that can work from home and be there for you when you come home from school or playdates." This conversation has had such an impact on Nicole, that she never compares herself to others and is very comfortable in her own skin.

Be thankful for your family and friends (especially girlfriends if you are a woman). When you are true to your relationships with family and friends and you develop a two way street of appreciation and support these individuals will be your go to people in good and bad times. For without support, successes and heartache would be impossible to celebrate and navigate through.

Positive thoughts and actions over negative thoughts and actions. When our thoughts go to that negative place it shows upon our faces, which then invokes not such an inviting place for a another person to engage you in conversation. When you are out and about on your daily routine, say hello to those that cross your path. At first it may seem many people don't respond, but you will be surprised on how a simple hello brightens someone's day along with yours. I invoke this on my daily walks along the Hudson River and when in the supermarket and various other stores. It definitely sets for a positive tone throughout the day.

Smile throughout your day. Do you know it takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 muscles to smile. So frowning takes more energy and it can zap you from enjoying yourself and letting your creative side explode.

What do you do to Live Your Life with Gratitude?

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Best wishes,
Donna M. McDine
Award-winning Children's Author
The Golden Pathway ~ August 2010 ~ Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

16 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. I totally agree with you, Donna. It is so easy to look at things in our lives and get disappointed about what hasn't happened yet, yet if we look at what we have and what we have accomplished thus far in our lives, everyone really does have so much to be thankful for. I have to remind myself of these things everyday as well and I do find that my glass is always half full instead of half empty. I always look at the brighter sides of things, the possibilities and the what ifs. Its what makes me work harder but also helps me to appreciate my family and lifes ups and downs. Thank you for the post.
    Renee
    www.reneeahand.com

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  3. Every night before going to bed I write down at least three things I'm grateful for. Thinking about positive things before sleeping helps my attitude.

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  4. Prayer, thanking, and smiling are things I strive to do on a daily basis. I find when I lack being positive (my positiveness comes from the 3 previous) I then realize I missed those from my daily routine. Thank you for today's reminder, I was feeling kind of blue today. Now I remember why!

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  5. Lovely post, Donna, It's easy to take things for granted, but if we focus on our blessings instead of our trials, gratitude comes much easier.

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  6. I am currently taking an abundance workshop which emphasizes writing a quick list of gratitudes before bed. I love this practice.
    I believe we create the world we live in by our thoughts. You can only think so many thoughts at a time and if you choose to think about all the things that are wrong in the world, that's what you will see and experience.
    I choose on a daily basis to see what is right in the world and be grateful for it. I live a very blessed life.

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  7. I am grateful that this is a new day to share thoughts and write

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  8. Ladies,

    Thank you for visiting and sharing. I truly appreciate having you all in my cyberspace life and you never maybe someday in person too.

    Be well,
    Donna

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  9. A lovely post. I tend to dwell on negatives of the past instead of the positive good things of today. This is a good reminder to be positive and to pass it along to those you meet.

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  10. Wonderful post, Donna! Being grateful for all of your blessing, no matter how big or small, is so important. I think passing it on by being kind or generous to others is key to having a happy heart.

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  11. Donna, this post is such a good reminder. I love the idea of writing down our blessings at bedtime. It would be great to read them first thing the next morning as a reminder! "Grateful living" is so important and we never know how our smile might positively impact another person's day.

    Blessings to you!
    Beth

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  12. Wonderful post, Donna. We must always remember to be thankful for everything we have.

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  13. This is an awesome post, and so very true. Even in the business world when disappointments and rejections can weigh on your heart, grattitude is so important. Thanks for reminding all of us to begin with a prayer of thanksgiving.

    Warmly,
    Terri

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  14. Gratitude is such an important thing! And I think as soon as we are feeling sorry for ourselves, God has a way of reminding us that we don't have it so bad. :)

    Margo Dill
    http://margodill.com/blog/

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  15. The hardest and most liberating way o live my life with gratitude was learning to be thankful for the "bad" things as well as the good. They've shaped me into the person I am.
    Blessings,
    J. Aday Kennedy
    The Differently-Abled Writer & Speaker
    Children's Author of Stella the Fire Farting Dragon (April 2011)
    http://jadaykennedy.blogspot.com

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  16. So true! We always have at least ONE thing we can be grateful for.

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