7 Ways Gratitude Changed My Life [And Can Change Yours Too]
When all is said and done, at the end of each day you and I can choose to dwell on the negative things we encountered, or we can decide to focus on the positive and how to build a future upon them.
We can have a melt-down about resentments and no doubt our disappointments, or we can celebrate the triumphs that life afforded us and learn from our difficulties.
We can choose to be ungrateful or appreciative of the benefits that we received.
Whatever you choose, it is in your own power to do so. You have the power of choice!
For me personally, I have made a conscious decision to focus on the positive, to celebrate the triumphs no matter how small and most important of all, I have chosen to be grateful in everything.
A good summation of such a choice comes from Zig Zagler’s quote that says,
Of all the attitudes we can acquire, the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life changing.”
Having made those choices [particularly gratitude] my life has changed tremendously. It is a feeling of empowerment, more like a whole new dimension.
Here are seven areas in which I have experienced dramatic changes in my life simply by having an attitude of gratitude, and I believe can effect changes in your life as well.
1. Love people genuinely from the heart
Saying ‘I love you’ is easy but the truth is, if you do not love someone from the heart, they will always get on your nerves. Heart love is when you can love someone even when you don’t understand them and you find them to be unlovable.
Be grateful for them being in your life, they are there for a purpose and to help you to learn more about yourself. Try to understand their mood, what makes them tick and act the way that they do. Here is your opportunity to help them find their true inner beauty.
2. To be less judgmental of others
Being grateful for the people in my life [and even those that are not] has helped me to be less judgmental of them. Not only is it not right to judge others, but you never know what that person might be going through in life.
Psalm 82: 3-4 (NKJV) says, “Defend the poor and the fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and the needy. Deliver the poor and the needy; free them from the hand of the wicked.”
It therefore helps for you to defend them, to put yourself in their place or to meet that individual at the point of their greatest need.
3. Value relationships
All of us I believe have special people in our lives. While that may be so, the question is, how much do you value them? Do you spend quality time together? Do you call them up to find out how they are doing or if there is anything you can do to help?
Be grateful for relationships [on whatever level] and never take a relationship for granted, if not sooner or later it will fall apart.
4. Exercise the grace of humility
True humility will produce gratitude and love for humanity, not pride. Also, from a biblical perspective, it is the recognition that on
our own we are worthless, inadequate and without dignity.
By exercising the grace of humility, we would therefore not count ourselves greater than or better than the next person, but to treat everyone with respect. God expects us to be kind even to our enemies and those that are ungrateful – this can only be done when you flow in love and the grace of humility.
5. Value the gift of life
Life is the most precious and valuable gift. It should never be taken for granted and it is something to be always grateful for each day.
6. Take better care of what you already have
It is part of our human nature to constantly look for and desire more than or better than what we have. However, let’s not forget to give thanks to God for what He already blessed us with and to take the uttermost care of them.
7. To be more optimistic
Gratitude helps you to be more optimistic and open to changes. Things will not always go the way you’ve planned but give thanks and hope for a brighter tomorrow.
YOUR TURN…
Can you relate to this post? In what other way would you say that gratitude has changed your life? What are you most grateful for today? Don’t leave without sharing your thoughts with us.
photo courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Kingdom Ambassadors Empowerment Network 
Thank you for the inspired tips! I’ve really been thinking a lot about taking care of the things I have instead of wishing for the next best thing. I need to be thankful for what God has blessed me with, not wallow in wanting for what I don’t. It was a blessing to find you through the SITS Sharefest and I am a new follower. I would love to have you share your heart at the Saturday Soiree Blog Party at http://faithalongtheway.com. 🙂
A warm welcome to my blog Sarah! I am delighted to have you as you participate in the discussion. I am really glad that you found the tips inspiring and no doubt helpful. Very true we need to be thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon us. His word is that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. I will be following right back and will be very happy to participate at the Soiree Blog Party. Blessings and have a great day and upcoming week. 🙂
What a great list. Gratitude is a choice, an outlook. There’s almost always something you can find to be thankful for, huh?
Well said Betsy! Gratitude – a choice, and an outlook (on life I’m sure) Once the choice is made it brings happiness into the heart.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. It’s a pleasure having you and do feel welcome to come again. Cheers! 🙂
Great post and one I find very refreshing 🙂 The points on how gratitude can change our lives is so fitting. Loving people from the heart is really critical and if more people will practice that kind of love, perhaps we will not have so much hate and so many problems in the world today. Too many are too quick to settle their differences through violent means which is just so sad.
I would add to the list ‘the more you express gratitude, the more you practice kindness to others.’ Gratitude cause you to have more than you need and even when you have little you can still be kind to others by sharing with them,
Thank you for taking part in the discussion Janelle. I love the idea of gratitude pointing us in the way of kindness and being able to give to others. With regards to the way people go about resolving conflict, love is the overriding factor that will help people to go about it in a different and much better way.
Have a blessed day!
Hi Yvonne,
You are so right…and these are perfect ways how gratitude can change our lives, though few people really go out and practice them, which is the sad part of it all 🙂
Yes, loving people from your heart is the best one I can relate to as when you do that with genuine feelings, you show your real care and concern. It’s true, we are no one to judge people, and we need to value relationships in our lives and be grateful for the smallest of things that life puts forth us, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Hi Harleena
Glad that you were able to relate to this post. Loving people from the heart is most definitely a critical aspect. We can relate this to our children and even spouse – because the thing is while it’s true they are family, they can ‘act up’ in ways that if we did not love them from our heart, we would do or say things to them that could only make matters worse.
Thank you so much for stopping by, sharing your thoughts and adding value to the discussion. Trust that you have a blessed week ahead also. 🙂
I also agree with loving genuinely from the heart. It shows, and it is effective. Speaking the truth in love is also important. Our loved ones, friends and co-workers deserve the truth spoken to them in love by us instead of allowing strangers to tell them the wrong way. Great post.
That’s a very valid point you made Pastor Ava ie. speaking the truth in love. I cannot imagine someone saying that they love a person, yet speak lies to him/her. Thanks for commenting. Have a blessed day! 🙂