Do you feel grateful for what you have? There are good reasons that you should. Research has found that being grateful for what you have has positive effects on numerous areas of health and well-being, including, “Higher reported levels of the positive states of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness and energy . . .”
It is a tool that is used by numerous successful people, and recommended by some of the most respected authors in the field of personal development. Gratitude is also mentioned in The Secret – we are told that we should be grateful for what we have, and indeed for what we want. If you believe that you already have what you want and are grateful for it, the universe will move it toward you, thus bringing what you most want.
Focusing on what is good in your life, and feeling grateful for it, can make a huge difference both mentally and physically. Our attitude is such an important determinant of so many areas of our life, so focusing on what is good will naturally send your energy in that direction.
[...] It is a very negative experience to be around these people, so if you are aware of people in your life who are negative, who drain energy from you, then you need to either find a new circle of friends, or at very least minimize the time you spend with them. There's more to it than that, however. A positive attitude extends to all areas of your life. Research has shown us that a positive attitude can help to relieve stress, increase self-esteem, improve confidence, and make you more productive at work. [...]
[...] Of course there are things we can't control, and we need to accept that the idea that starving children in Africa have ‘attracted' this fate onto themselves is not only disingenuous, it is offensive. But when you look at your life overall, you will find that list of things over which you have no control is surprisingly small typically much smaller than we realize. For example, people often blame things like dyslexia or lack of education for their lack of success yet Richard Branson, the multi-billionaire owner of the Virgin brand, is dyslexic and didn't attend college. [...]
[...] Look at again before you go to bed, so that it is the last thing on your mind when you go to sleep. And when you do look at your list, make sure you also feel it feel how good it will be to live in that house, take that holiday, spend that extra time with your kids. If it brings a smile to your face, all the better. Now that you know what you want, there's a second step to follow, one that will really start to cement this into your psyche. [...]
[...] Asking yourself the following questions will start to provide answers to both of those questions. Do you celebrate you successes? This is a key step in raising self-esteem. In order to increase you self- esteem you have recognize, and then reward, your successes. We build confidence in our achievements when we take the time to notice that we've done something good, and we give ourselves a little reward it doesn't have to be much, a night out at the movies, a relaxing bath, whatever makes you feel good. [...]
[...] The first step is actually the hardest you have to look hard at your life. What do you like? What do you not like? Ultimately you are going to have to make a decision to keep the bits you like and get rid of the parts that you don't like. Which bits are you desperately clinging on to that you really don't like? Oftentimes these are areas where we have self-limiting beliefs. Once you get rid of the negative emotions and the self-limiting beliefs, you can break free of the victim mentality and move forwards. [...]
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