5 Motivational Tips to Embrace the Power of Gratitude
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We already know that expressing gratitude is a daily activity for all year round. However, since November is National Gratitude Month, I want to talk with you about 5 Motivational Tips to Embrace the Power of Gratitude. Shhh… plus a few bonus tips, too.
I have been sharing with you lately about several of my signature tips around gratitude. These tips have also been posted to the Discover Your Joy YouTube channel and I’ll share the link with you later in this article.
Having an attitude of gratitude is a time for reflection. It’s a time to embrace the power that lies within being grateful for life and all it encompasses. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as saying ‘thank you’ each morning or even several times throughout the day.
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“Choosing Gratitude is your pathway to Choosing JOY!”
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There are some great benefits to being grateful, too. Gratitude has been shown to decrease stress and increase positivity. It also can improve our relationships and our total well-being.
As you can see, experiencing gratitude is a habit well worth your effort. It is one of the essential ingredients to living a joy-filled life. And as you know, I am all about JOY!
The main tool in your gratitude practice is a journal for recording all the goodness in your life. This could be as simple as a legal pad or spiral notebook. Or, you may opt for one of the more elegant journals available. I’ve been journaling for at least 25 years, so I have used quite a variety of notebooks and journals.
Today, I want to share with you 5 motivational tips to embrace the power of gratitude. These are tips that I have worked on refining for myself and I believe they can be helpful to you in your own gratitude practice.
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5 Motivational Tips to Embrace the Power of Gratitude
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Tip #1
Along with writing down what you are thankful for each day, also try to visualize what it is you are grateful for.
If you listed seeing the sunrise, close your eyes and really see the sun as it crests over the horizon. Hold that visualization as if you are actually sitting outside and watching as the sun greets a new day. Imagine what happens next.
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Tip #2
Say out loud what it is you are grateful for. Now, you are not only thinking of gratitude, but you are also hearing it. This doubles your benefit.
I have a friend who says each morning as he goes around his home opening the blinds, he expresses aloud that he is grateful for each thing he sees out his windows. Is this something you would be willing to try?
I often use a similar practice when I am driving alone. I will say ‘thank you’ for the trees, the children out playing, or the new roundabout that helps to control traffic. From this list, you will recognize there are so many things to be thankful for that we often overlook many of them.
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Tip #3
Sit with one particular thing that you are thankful for. For example, this could be your spouse, a child, or a friend. It could also be an item or an event. How does this person, item, or event make you feel? Why are you thankful for this?
The more you can feel the emotion while expressing gratitude, the deeper it will resonate in your mind and heart. You are also remaining in that state of gratitude for a longer period of time. This tip has the potential to super-charge both your gratitude and your day!
You can listen to me chat about both tips #2 and #3 on this YouTube video.
Signature Gratitude Tips
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Tip #4
Use topics to guide your gratitude. This is a practice that I just added to my morning routine. In my journal, I use a specific topic for the day. All the things on that day’s list relate to the specific topic.
Here are some of my recent topics:
People such as my husband or sister… or perhaps a friend
Places that are important to me
Gratitude in advance
My yard or it could be a hobby of yours
My health
Professionals I depend on in life
My church
Embrace
The fall season
Joy, of course
Inspiration
Observations
Explore
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Tip #5
Give thanks for blessings not yet received.
We know we attract into our lives the things we think about. And we also know that giving thanks increases the abundance of blessings in our lives.
By giving thanks for future blessings, we are doubling our abundance of gratitude.
I have recorded a YouTube video for you on this topic.
Gratitude for Blessings Not Yet Received
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Everyone loves receiving a bonus so here are three bonus gratitude tips for you.
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Bonus Tip #1
Whether you’re writing in your journal, expressing gratitude out loud, or visualizing, you can multiply your benefits with this tip.
Ask yourself WHY you are grateful for this and add it to your list. For example, when I said I was grateful for my husband, I wrote several reasons why I am grateful for him. I did the same thing with my yard and my church.
This deep dive helps to build up your gratitude quotient. You are building a wellspring of gratitude that you can draw on when your days are tough. Your heart will already be overflowing with gratitude on those days, and it will be easier for you to bounce back to joy.
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“There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.” –Ralph H Blum
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Bonus Tip #2
Another time I want to encourage you to use gratitude is to say grace at mealtimes with your family around the table. There’s a certain peace that comes with this practice. If you don’t already have a blessing to use, here is one that my Daddy regularly said.
“Bless this food and thank you for the many blessings we have received. Pardon our sins for Jesus’ sake. Amen.”
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Bonus Tip #3
As I was writing in my journal on the page of gratitude for the fall season, I listed “longer nights.” Well, I don’t even like the dark and surely not longer nights. I pondered why I even wrote that down. I have decided it must be my subconscious way of accepting longer nights even though they’re not my favorite.
Could you try expressing gratitude for something that you’re not particularly grateful for? Would it help you to accept this less than favorable thought? I think it’s worth a try.
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Final Thoughts
It doesn’t matter how you express gratitude and it surely doesn’t matter if you use any of these tips at all. The important thing is that you open your heart to all the goodness in our world and you express thanks for your blessings.
I am surely grateful for you taking your time to read this article. I’d love to know your thoughts. You can leave them below in the comments.
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Discover Your Joy
Be sure to grab your copy of Discover Your Joy, a daily devotional/inspirational book for the entire year. It’s also a great holiday gift for Moms, wives, aunts, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
I am honored to share this excerpt of an article by my publicist:
Readers and reviewers alike have praised ‘Discover Your Joy‘. One said, “Each page in “Discover Your Joy” is a simple and beautiful reminder that the world may not be perfect, there will always be the ups and the downs, but we have the ability to CHOOSE each day how we will use this gift we call life. I highly recommend this book!!” Another stated, “Pistole gives great insight into ways to remind us that our joy is important and to beware of “joy stealers”. This book is a great way to start your mornings with a great cup of coffee and to discover your joy each and every day!”
It’s available on this website, on Amazon, and anywhere books are sold online.
Awesome post! Gratitude has helped me a lot
Glad you liked it!
I love this so much, too often people only see the surface level of gratitude but it is when we really take it to a deeper level that it can change our lives. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ohhhh you are so right. It is that deeper level that holds us in a state of gratitude much longer.