Knowing how to feel grateful is one of the key elements to happiness.
But feeling grateful can be an enlightening, but also challenging process. It’s not easy to acknowledge the things that don’t get done or the prayers that seem to go unanswered. Add to that the myriad of status updates, photo collages, and other news posted on social media by family and friends every day, and anyone can find themselves feeling a bit discouraged with where they are, or deflated about where they’re headed.
So, I’ve put together a list of tips to help you push through. I truly hope they encourage, motivate, and uplift you. Here are my tips on how to feel grateful:
1. Let Go of Comparing
Renee Swope said it best, “Comparisons are a contentment thief; don’t let them steal your joy today.”
As you’re scrolling through pics and posts, remember that the purpose behind doing so isn’t to act as your “internal clock” on where you should be, or what you should have. Photos and words only tell so much. There’s no way to know what that person had to go through to get where they are; and comparing your circumstances or life to theirs only takes away from the strides, touchdowns, and overall beauty of your growth! If you can look back at your life a year or 3 from now and see ways in which you’ve progressed in positive ways, give yourself some credit. THAT should be the only comparison that gets made: gauging whether you’re the exact same person you were years ago.
2. Celebrate Others
Jealousy is a normal emotion, but a very taxing one. And its worst feature is its ability to alienate you from those around you who are doing well, and acquiring what you desire.
That being said, make some time to celebrate the success of others, because there will come a day when it’s your turn to shine; and truth be told, each of us wants to be surrounded by the support, love, and excitement that should accompany those moments when they come. Now if you find it difficult to practice this habit, don’t beat yourself up. Just remember that there’s enough good to go around for everyone. We don’t always get the exact same things, nor do we get things at the exact same time (and honey trust, depending on where we are that might be a blessing), but the woman who’s able to view life’s loving abundance like the grains of sand on the beaches, opens her mind, eyes, and heart to experience it more prevalently than the woman who doesn’t.
3. Reframe
Instead of focusing on all that you have YET to accomplish/acquire, make a list of everything you’ve managed to get done IN SPITE of difficulties. You know our motto, “Life can be mean,” and we all have or will experience this truth at some point or another; but the beauty in this is that despite the challenges, hurdles, and unforeseen circumstances, you managed to survive! You still got things done! You grew! You learned! And in some ways, you’re better for it. We can’t control some of the things life throws at us (and our hearts go out to everyone who finds themselves in those tough and icky spots), but when those times come, we can find support, utilize our resources, and continue to make progress in the direction we desire to head.
4. Don’t give up.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been close to giving up on a particular goal or dream, only to find that I wasn’t far off from seeing it come to fruition. Perhaps you’re finding yourself in what seems like a rut. You feel like you’ve hit a plateau or you just don’t see how you’re going to get from point A to point Z. In times like this, we want to encourage you to regroup. Go meditate, journal, take a staycation, attend a conference, do something to rejuvenate yourself, clear your head, and remind you of why you’re pursuing that dream in the first place.
If the plan isn’t working, you don’t necessarily have to drop the dream; you may just need to revisit the drawing board to come up with a new plan. Nothing worth being deemed AMAZING is going to happen over night, so find resources and connect with people who stir up the fire in you to keep going after that which lights your fire. And there aren’t always shortcuts from point A to Z. Sometimes it’s just a matter of practicing the discipline required to take it one day at a time, and walk those steps in between. Either way, you can do it!
Have a wonderful New Year appreciating how far you and the people around you have come, and celebrating all that’s to come for everyone in the very near future.
Keep your eyes open.
And if you are feeling the need for some extra support as we enter into the New Year, I would love for you to come and work with me. We can make 2016 the best year yet!
Got some extra advice for others for 2016? Let me know about your tips and tricks in the comments below!
-BTY
