Gratitude: Appreciation for what is, what has been, and what will be
An important manifestation of your freedom of choice is the power to choose your attitude. One of the most important attitudes to practice is the expression of gratitude, a humble appreciation for the positive circumstances and events in your life. Sometimes it is easy to be grateful when things are going well, but often it takes considerably more effort to look past difficult circumstances and recognize what is good. Almost always, if you really try, you can find at least one thing for which to be grateful. Focusing your attention on the good helps to maintain your resilience, your optimism, your energy, and keeps your mood positive. This positive attitude translates into better habits, better relationships, better behavior, increased productivity, and ultimately increased happiness. Develop the habit of daily gratitude for what is now, what has been in the past, and what will be in the future. This one habit will make all the difference in your work, your leisure time, your relationships and the overall quality of your life.
There are certainly aspects of our past that we regret or that were not ideal. We were not in control of our circumstances when we entered the world or the ways in which we were raised. We all had different situations with variable amounts of comfort, love and support, or stress, hardship and pain. We adapted as best we could and made decisions and choices that caused results that we may regret. We are human and so are our parents, families and friends. We all make mistakes, have weaknesses and selfish character traits. In order to heal from all that was not good in the past, it helps to develop some sense of appreciation for the things that helped to guide you to the place where you are and to the things that are good in your life at present. If there was even one caring, loving and supportive person in your life who made sacrifices for you, you can be grateful for that person. Sometimes teachers, coaches, friends, family, neighbors or community members reach out and have a positive, helpful and lasting impact on our lives. Sometimes they help to point us in the right direction, or give us lessons or experiences that change our mind or our attitude about life. Sometimes events and circumstances line up in our favor, timing is right and we experience positive results and feelings. Gratitude for what was good in the past helps us to let go of the things that were not good, and allows us to move forward in a more positive direction.
The present is a result of where we started in the past, our environment into which we were born, and our unique make up of traits, characteristics, abilities, as well as our choices and the quality of our human interactions. Most of us have present circumstances we would like to change, to improve or to escape from entirely. Fortunately, we have the power to make these changes starting with the attitude we bring to the present. Our attitude influences our ability to cope with stress and difficulty, increases our resiliency, our happiness, creativity and effectiveness. The choice to change our attitude is one of our most powerful freedoms. Practicing gratitude by identifying people and circumstances in your life right now which you appreciate lifts your mood and that of people with whom you interact. Your attitude is contagious, even in subtle, non-verbally expressed ways. It is these silent influences, as much as spoken words that influence the thoughts, actions and behaviors of those around you. This power you wield starts with simple appreciation. It will cause others to want to help you in your causes. It will improve your relationships and help you achieve your goals.
A sense of appreciation for the past and the present also translates into a sense of optimism for the future. We don't always know what will happen in the future, but we can make informed predictions based on scientific understanding of natural laws, as well as understanding of the relationship between our present actions and the future results they are likely to produce. When we understand cause and effect and take responsibility for our behavior and actions, we can move our circumstances in the direction of our choosing. When we acknowledge the power of these choices and freedoms we have, it would seem likely to produce a sense of gratitude. This is more likely when we are satisfied with our choices and outcomes. Hence, you will be more grateful and satisfied if you make choices that are consistent with your values and your goals. Embrace the power of choice, and make more of your decisions the right decisions. Decisions and choices that help you stay on track with your chosen direction will improve your future. It is for these things that we can be grateful, and this attitude of gratitude will change our lives for the better.