Developing a mindset that turns any darkness into beauty
There’s a reason why successful people spend so much time developing their gratitude habit.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
We cannot change our circumstances, but we can change how we meet them!
Three decades of research show that gratitude is a very influential emotion. When we experience higher levels of gratitude, it’s linked to higher levels of optimism, lower levels of stress and depression, better physical health, and even a better immune system response. This is exactly what we need in order to develop high emotional resilience.
Your perspective is one of the greatest assets you have in your personal and professional life. It has the power to shift the OUTCOME of any situation. It helps develop a stronger mindset that sees gifts and opportunities where there might be challenges, turning any darkness into beauty.
There are many benefits to expressing gratitude during times of stress and uncertainty. Not only is it a simple way to find happiness and keep you, your team, and your loved ones motivated, but it’s a powerful tool for developing emotional resilience.
From my book “My Seductive Cuba“:
“The first thing I did upon arriving at the hotel in Toronto was order a plate of tomatoes. It sounds strange, but after so long without tomatoes, I had to have tomatoes. The guy at reception, seeing my reaction to everything, said to me, “You’re in culture shock.” I smiled. I must have looked disoriented. Everything was so efficient and perfect. Too perfect. I felt no real connection with anyone; I could not even feel the heart of one person. In my room, the toilet paper was soft and there was hot water. I stood under the spray for 20 minutes, not believing there was real pressure. My hotel bed was so comfortable that I felt uncomfortable. It was too quiet. I had a very hard time falling asleep — no music on the Malecón, no crowds outside. It felt lifeless. Some people might not see anything wrong with this picture, but after two months in Cuba, it all felt wrong. The receptionist was right; I was in complete culture shock.
After a few days, I returned to Vancouver. I managed to fill my refrigerator with just about every kind of food possible. I kept opening the fridge staring at the food and not believing the variety. Going to the supermarket was like going to Disneyland. There were so many options. I was slowly adjusting back to Canadian life and thinking how much I would have loved to have this comfort combined with Cuba’s strong sense of community. But it seems that the price we pay for perfection is a loss of connection to the moment and to other people.
Returning from Cuba after two magical months showed me how much we take things for granted. Every year, I let Cuba inspire my heart and remind me to not take things for granted. By the time I start to forget, I go back and let Cuba inspire me all over again.”
Everything is happening for you and not to you.
Now may seem to some like an unusual time to talk about the topic of gratitude, depending on where this meets you in life. If every day brings a new challenge, a new worry, a new uncertainty about the future, it might seem like a joke.
Some people may not feel grateful at all reading this, but remember gratitude is a habit you develop over time. And if I’m going to give you powerful tips on how to develop emotional resilience, gratitude would be one of the top on my list!
Whatever you are facing right now, or might be facing in the future, is giving you the perfect opportunity to notice the small things happening each day that you normally take for granted.They provide awesome opportunities to train ourselves to see life through a half-full glass mindset. The more we practice looking at what is around us, as a gift, the easier it becomes to find beautiful gifts within a challenging situation.
If we have dignity, safety, and belonging, we are truly living a blessed life already. We all have something to be grateful for. It’s important to focus on these gifts and to remember that whatever is happening is happening for us and not to us.
When we start to see and appreciate the gifts in our lives, evidence shows that it raises our happiness and brings out the best in those around us too!
So here are a few suggestions you can start practicing:
- Make a love list of the top 21 people you love the most and make sure to make them feel your love each month. For the closest ones, let them know every week.
- At the end of your day, take 5 minutes to sit in silence, with your eyes closed, and find 5 things that you can be grateful for. Ask yourself, “What went well today?” Do this daily.
- Look at what was difficult at the end of your day and be thankful for it. It came to teach you a lesson. Remove the word difficult and pay attention to what you are not willing to feel underneath.
- Create a gratitude list for all the things you can be grateful for in your life and meditate daily on items from the list. Shuffle them around and pick different ones each time.
- Post quotes around your home that will remind you to be grateful daily.
Gratitude reminds us why it is so important to celebrate every day and every little victory.
It reminds us how truly lucky we are, and how important it is to take care of ourselves, our bodies, our communities, and our planet. Gratitude is part of our inner richness. It gives us inner strength and vitality.
Let us be fortunate enough to pay attention to the lessons that the situation we are facing has to teach us, so we can continue to strive towards a better and brighter tomorrow.
Don’t wait for it to happen, but take charge by training your mind to see the gifts now.
INSTRUCTIONS
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