---

As we walk our path in this life, we all notice that there are ups and downs. Some of those ups are way u,p and some of the downs can be farther down than we wish to go.

As the path unfolds, I believe it is our duty to find the gifts and keep walking. This is what gives us the strength to continue and the courage to carry on.

1. Gratitude Opens Us Up to Acceptance

When we embrace what it is, it becomes easier to be in the moment. By giving thanks for all that we have now, we can come to peace with what is. We accept and give thanks for the good, bad, and everything in between. We begin to notice that in the “bad” there is a gift. Whether it is the gift of forgiveness, patience, or unconditional love, it is ther,e and through gratitude, we will find it.

2. Gratitude Brings Opportunities for Growth

Focusing on gratitude brings us more opportunities to elevate our lives. For example, if a person has an illness and is constantly focused on sadness, lost dreams, and loss of self, they will tend to have a bleak outlook on life, and everything will seem hopeless. But when one is focused upon gratitude, suddenly there is hope where there was none before. The person will start to notice the positive aspects instead of the negative ones, which leads to more positive outcomes in their life. This uplifts the spirits, shifts the perception to joy and brings in more amazing experiences for growth and love.

3. Gratitude Inspires Us to Be Giving and of Service

Having an attitude of gratitude inspires us to be thankful for what we have.

Before starting a gratitude practice, a person may not have noticed all the wonderful things that surround them at every moment. But once they start the practice, they begin to realise that there are so many blessings in their lives. When that realisation hits, people start to notice the abundance all around them, and they get a feeling of abundance. This, in turn, leads to knowing how much they have to give.

By giving, we realise how much we have to be grateful for. The cycle continues to repeat itself. It is beautiful.

4. Gratitude Invites Perspective

When we focus on gratitude, we often realise how great our lives really are. We can begin to see all the small wins in our lives, as well as the big ones. We can be thankful for where our lives are at the present and realise that we don’t need to sweat all the small stuff anymore. There are too many things to be thankful for to stay locked in the negative. We gain a perspective that is outside of the little box we often trap ourselves in and gain a view of the bigger picture.

5. Gratitude Inspires Patience

Through practising gratitude, we cultivate patience. We begin to see that all things are a blessing that can relieve the sense of having to rush about. It can alleviate the stresses in relationships and leave us feeling closer, as we are more focused on the blessings rather than dwelling on what went wrong or what the other person is doing or not doing. It gives us a sense of peace and harmony.

6. Gratitude Leads to Compassion and Empathy

Looking through the lens of gratitude tends to lead us to have greater compassion and empathy. We can look at others less fortunate and realise all the blessings we have. We can also look at the “fortunate” and be thankful for what we have or don’t have. We can also realise that it doesn’t matter what someone or something else looks or feels like because we never know what is going on inside. They may have great suffering, but we would never know it.

Here is an excellent opportunity to create more compassion for all those around us.

7. Gratitude Creates Openness

When we start to notice all the blessings in our lives, we become more open to all that life has to offer. It helps us to be open to receive. Whether that be help from others or more abundance in our lives. We start to see that life isn’t shutting us off or giving us a crappy hand. It is offering love and light at all levels. We become open to recognising the gifts that are all around us.

I Am So Grateful: A Journal for Cultivating Gratitude in Your Life

I am grateful to you all for reading this article and for recognising that an attitude of gratitude can transform your life.

Sky Hawk is an Author of gratitude and self-help journals, a Yogini, a Facilitator of Love and Light, and an Artist. She enjoys playing with her kids and cats, paddleboarding on sunny days, and being by the ocean.

Connect with Sky at:
FB @ skyhawkauthor
instagram @sky_hawk_author

Love to pin? Share the love…