Harvesting Happiness: Showing Gratitude

By Lisa Cypers Kamen.

Gratitude is one of those sneaky little gifts that once opened keeps on giving and giving. Did you know that one of the best ways to reduce your stress level is to think about things for which you are grateful?

How about when you are sad, angry or upset? Try listing in your head or on paper just ten things for which you are grateful.  I can help you start your list.

You are alive and able to enjoy the wonderful things this world has to offer.  You are reading this blog so you can read, you do have a computer, and you are able to get onto the Internet.  That alone just made you more skilled than half the global population! You have your sight in which to read this post.  These may seem not very important to you, but when you don’t have them you can see how truly grateful you can become for the simplest things to the very complex.

Do you know that people who live in a state of gratitude sleep better?  They live healthier lives? They are more productive and yes, they are happier! It’s a little secret that keeps on giving throughout your day, with respect to others and allows us to reach our full potential by bringing us each into our own best possible space.

Here are just a few ways to show gratitude in life:

1. List the things in your life you are grateful for and those things you take for granted, such as your health, home, family, friends, colleagues, car, and so on. Add all the things that you could not survive without, such as sunlight, air, water and food. See how many things you can come up with. Keep this list with you, and refer to it anytime you get upset or sad or emotional. See how long you remain that way!

2. Do something for someone for no reason other than simply wanting to do it. Have no attachment to the outcome. Pay for someone’s coffee at work, or compliment someone you don’t know very well.

3. Send a card of appreciation to someone whom you have not been in touch with for a while. You could take this even further by sending cards to five people letting them know how much they mean in your life.

4. Send a thank you note to someone who has done something for you, no matter how small it may seem to be.

5. Take time to feel awe and wonder at the world. Take the time to “stop and smell the roses.” Take in the sunset in the morning when you wake up or take a minute to appreciate being alive…it doesn’t have to take very long.