Nearly every culture and religious system has a tradition of thankfulness and gratitude. Think about it. Growing up we were taught to say please and thank you, and it is considered good manners to be courteous.
The importance of gratitude has been understood by many for hundreds of years. In fact, the Roman philosopher Cicero (106–43bc) had this to say – Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues, but the parent of all of the others.
There is so much value in being grateful that it’s a wonder so many people misunderstand gratitude and what they must do to reap its benefits.
This is why we created The Gratitude Strategy.
Following along with Cicero, we believe that the key to living a happy, healthy, and productive life is practicing gratitude. Gratitude promotes positive thinking and the kind of growth mindset that helps us rebound from disappointments and failure. It’s the thing which helps us be present in the moment while working toward achieving our visions of the future. Gratitude is a keystone habit.
This is the missing link for many people. If you’ve ever started and stopped mindset training or personal development, then The Gratitude Strategy can help.
But it’s not as simple as saying thank you when you receive a gift or kindness. Practicing gratitude focuses on interrupting the negativity that consistently attempts to keep us anxious, frustrated, and depressed.
Martin E. P. Seligman, one of the founding fathers of Positive Psychology, identifies a process for learning optimism, and practicing gratitude hits every point.
First recognize the automatic thoughts
Dispute them with contrary evidence
Create different explanations
Distract yourself from depressing thoughts
Recognize and question the assumptions
Practicing gratitude provides a framework for noticing when negativity threatens to overwhelm, re-framing the negative thinking by choosing to highlight the presence of something good in every situation, and doing this on such a consistent basis that previously held ideas which no longer serve you are challenged and ultimately erased.
And the beauty of gratitude is that you’re not just making up positive things or trying to ignore the challenges around you. Gratitude recognizes all of it and chooses to view it as opportunities to learn and grow and become better.
In his book Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, Seligman said, “For optimists, defeat is a challenge, a mere setback on the road to inevitable victory.”
So, it’s not about pretending everything is fine when it’s not. It’s about assessing the situation as it is, recognizing the opportunities and resources present, and appreciating what exists while actively working on creating something more.
Gratitude values the moment.
But how do you get to that point when you’re surrounded by chaos and negativity?
You implement The Gratitude Strategy.
Say It Right
Express gratitude in positive ways by focusing on the words you use. Do a “thought audit” to recognize negativity, then reframe and rephrase.
Say It Loud
Move expressions of gratitude from thoughts to tangible actions and behaviors. Feel and experience the gratitude outside your mind.
Say It Always
Regularly engage in the practice of gratitude. Consciously and deliberately choose to express gratitude often.
The good news is that you don’t have to do this alone. If you haven’t already, join our Gratitude & Goals 12-Week Group Coaching Program or reach out for one-on-one coaching.
In the meantime, you can get started by doing a Thought Audit to get an idea of what your dominant thoughts are. Enter your name and email address below to download a free mini-training.
You’ll get a PDF journal and a training video explaining What a Thought Audit is How to conduct one What to do next
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