Lead With Gratitude

"To be grateful can be difficult when things seem not worth giving thanks for. Try it anyway. Allow yourself to be in the difficult situation and be grateful inside yourself, in the background. Grateful for what? Grateful for the lessons. Grateful for the growth and expansion you are in the middle of. Grateful for all you have. Grateful for your ability to turn things around." - Lisbeth Mahnkopf 

There are always many things to be grateful for if we take the time to notice them. The gift of a new day, a roof over your head, food on the table, the air that you breathe. Friends, family, co-workers. Nature, animals, sunshine. When a negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with something you are grateful for. 

We should learn to lead with gratitude. Just as with learning anything new, it will require watchfulness and practice until a new behavior pattern is learned. Being mindful of changing your thoughts will eventually create an automatic response process with little effort, thus allowing more room for joy in your life. Cultivating gratitude doesn't cost any money or take much time to develop, but the benefits are enormous.

Leading with gratitude can have positive effects in many areas of your life:

• Gratitude improves relationships. It encourages goodness and kindness in everyone. It can enhance empathy and increased sensitivity with others. Studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. 
• Gratitude improves your physical and psychological health. You know how much better you feel when you are experiencing gratitude. It reduces toxic emotions, ranging from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. This can reduce stressors that cause headaches and body aches. It can help you relax more and sleep better.
• Gratitude improves your self-esteem and mental strength. When we grateful for, and focus in on "what we have" as opposed to "what we do not" and realize who we have become along the way, through all of life's lessons - we become happier, more confident people.

We all have the ability to lead with and cultivate gratitude. We get more of what we focus on. Positive thoughts can energize your day and the perfect way to start each morning! Carry forth an attitude of gratitude for all you have and in all you do. It will make a world of difference.

Make the most of your life. Start today. Make today great!

Curtis

"It's a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack." - Germany Kent