Gratitude: Do You Have Enough in Your Life?

I'm in a grateful kind of mood today. Full of gratitude for many things in my life -- especially the people who make it easier and more enjoyable!

I try to write about my gratitude on a daily basis, and I find that it keeps me thinking positively, even when things are challenging.

Master Life Coach David Essel says you become what you think about. So, if your mind is filled with thoughts of gratitude, you focus more on what you do have, instead of what you don't have.

I think of this often -- especially with all of the negative postings I see on Facebook. I don't think people realize they have the power to shift their focus from negative to positive with gratitude ... or what a difference it would make in their mood if they would try it.

For these people, David recommends keeping a daily gratitude journal. It's easy to do -- simply sit down with a pen and paper and write down everything you have to be grateful for at this very moment. If you find yourself struggling, start with the basics -- food, running water, shelter, etc.

Here's an example from my gratitude journal:

Today I am grateful for Paul's parents who took the kids overnight. I am grateful they had a fun time together. I am grateful they were all safe. I am grateful this break from the kids gave Paul and I time alone and time with special friends. I am grateful this time also allowed me to do my homework and some work for my clients.

Not only does this philosophy work for everyday life, it also works when you are experiencing challenging times in your life.

For example, a woman who lost her job was grateful she had friends and business contacts to call and ask for references, referrals and job leads. She was grateful for the skills and training she got from her previous job. She was grateful for job search websites to post her resume on. During this process, she found that all of these positive thoughts kept her motivated in her search to find a new position.

So, that's the power of gratitude. Do you see how you can apply it to your life?