An atitidue of Gratitude How it changed my life

I was so mad at the world, in my early adult days, I don't think I was angry, I just didn't get my way all the time and it made me mad. Yah, I am not proud to admit that. I can self justify and make excuses but really it was a trait that I wasn't truly happy with. So What changed?

My perspective of what really matters most, and to be more specific I needed an attitude adjustment. I found it in the most unlikely sources: a loving husband. I remember someone say that we should have an Attitude of Gratitude. So I tried, and tried and tried and I have found that there really is something magical when it comes to being content with what you have! After all isn't there a commandment that says Thou Shall Not Covet... I think this commandment is totally over looked and we would do well to really learn why it's one of the top ten commandment that God told Moses that the Israelites/we need.

As I was pondering why I was "mad at the world" I realized that my heart/mind was not in the correct place, I realized that I was looking at what every one else had and forgot about all I had. During times like those, (I think we all have those times when we just feel like we get nothing in return for what we are doing, it's human nature right?) I did a couple things that seemed to help:

Morning pages, What??? Yes  again if you write in the morning, like I do spend some time writing what you are grateful for. and not on social media, it should be personal, and very blunt. if your thankful that your toddler is done in the stage where he has to push a button or he will go crazy, write it!

Make a top 5 list everyday of what you are grateful for, write about the silly stuff, or the experinces you made the day before. Most of the times the small things are not really small, I cherish hugs, smiles, giggles and cuddles from my kids, I would take one of those over anything in the world. Which then leads me to Paying attention.

Pay Attention: What does gratitude have with paying attention? I would say A LOT! When we are in the "mad at the world" stage in life, how often are we really paying attention to what we have? I was so clueless as to what I had when I was in my "Mad At The World" stage, that I forgot my basic luxuries of having clothes, having a good car to get me to a really good job (at the time I saw it as a crappy job that paid me half of what I thought I should be making.) Living in a country that is free, and living in a time where opportunities are endless.  We are truly blessed, I am truly blessed to have what we have.

So how can we pay more attention? For me I did three simple things that helped me have more of an attitude of gratitude:

I take walks, and looked at the beauty that this world had to offer, I looked at the people at the parks, the leaves on the trees, I just simply concentrated myself in the environment I was in.

I limited my use of distractions, like social media, reading magazines, or books, and truly observered more with my kids, family, friends. And something miraculous happened, I started seeing other's needs more, and my covetousness went away. If you want a really fun challenge that changed my thought process, Don't Read for a whole week, you can listen to what ever you want, but no reading or watching tv, after a week of this, your perspective will change. It's hard, way harder than I thought but totally worth it! I do this about once ever spring, I call it my game changer, every time I start it, I dread it, and at the end of the week I have a lot more perspective coming out of the week, that I feel balanced.

I challenge you to go a week with out reading, and watching tv, and see what good things, and thoughts come your way!

The Third way paying attention helps you have an attitude of Gratitude:
Do something kind for yourself, As a mom, you don't get days "off" I am lucky enough that I have a space I can call my own and I can create what ever I want, for me it's like breathing, I have to be able to create or I get into the "mad at the world" stage again, it's not terrible but it's not a great place to be in! The key to being kind to yourself is to do something that helps you feel better, Creating things makes me feel better, therefore I am able to pay more attention to the things that matter most.

So have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Pay attention to your family members and make an attitude of gratitude something that you cherish!