Technalink has always believed that happiness is a worthy goal for everyone, but at the same time, the paths people take to it are varied and individual. However, one thing that is for certain is that while happiness is a feeling of well-being and contentment, regardless of how intense that feeling is, gratitude is an important component of happiness.
Why Does Gratitude Matter?
If happiness is defined as positive feelings you experience in your life, then gratitude is a part of those positive feelings that appreciates the moment and finds value in it. In other words, being thankful for the positivity that is currently happening. Gratitude can be such a crucial aspect of our lives that there are even holidays, such as Thanksgiving, centered on helping you look at your life, see what positive things are currently in it, and appreciate them for being there.
Now, more than ever, a sense of gratitude is something that should be cultivated throughout the year, not just during one specific holiday or even holiday season. The world is currently going through a challenging period with uncertainty and even a great deal of negativity at times. As humans, one of our greatest survival mechanisms has been the ability to focus on problem-solving. Unfortunately, this same ability to hone in on a problem can inadvertently lead to failing to perceive and appreciate the good things that are currently in your life, and see only the things that need fixing.
Gratitude Is About Better Perception
Gratitude can be an important “counterweight” in your life. It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed by problems and negativity, but the truth is that in most people’s lives, there are plenty of good things around that are forgotten. Love, for example, is often considered one of the most important things in a person’s life, whether that is the love of children, friends, family, or even pets. And yet at the same time, it is very easy for people who have love in their lives to forget it is there, as they concentrate on other issues, such as finance or career.
However, to have love in your life, or a comfortable place to live, or even finances that allow you to save, or even invest in the future, or family, are all things worth celebrating. And for people who don’t have these things, they are often major life goals until they are achieved.
In some ways, gratitude can be an important celebration not just of what you have, but what you have accomplished. Instead of spending your nights worried about a promotion, for example, it’s a more positive experience for you and those around you to remember how far you have already come, and what promotions you have already received. Instead of focusing only on the things you feel you are lacking, it can sometimes be awe-inspiring to look back at the things you already have.
Managing The Negative
A sense of gratitude can often be a guiding force in your life for helping to maintain perspective. It feels less reasonable to maintain a high state of anxiety over something you don’t currently have once you realize how often you have attained or received the things in your life you have previously sought. Gratitude is a way to recognize your success in life, instead of forgetting about it and concentrating only on the next goal.
There are even meditative practices you can integrate into your life that focus on gratitude as a way to keep perspective and help manage stress and anxiety. If you’d like to know more, The Om Factor: A Woman’s Spiritual Guide To Leadership is available in print, digital, and audiobook formats to help explain.
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