Gratitude as a Happiness Ingredient
ByGratitude seems to be at the top of every author’s list when studying the reasons for happiness. Most recently I have read Daniel Gilbert’s book Stumbling on Happiness and March Shimoff’s book Happy for No Reason. Gilbert is a Harvard psychology professor and Shimoff is known for her books Chicken Soup for the Soul.
The second advantage of happiness most agree is that people that are happy perform better and have better lives. When you are “happy from the inside out” as Shimoff would say, you bring happiness to every situation and people react to your positive energy. Positive energy attracts the best energy from others.
Ingredients that may lead to gratitude and happiness are a love of yourself, close relationships with a circle of friends, participation in activities for which you have passion, and a connection to Nature or Spirit or the Universe or God.
The first attitude that most happy people have is that the glass is always half full. Happy people have surrendered control to natural forces whether they believe in fate or chaos theory. They accept things that happen and are able to find the good in the outcomes. They roll with the punches.
Material wealth may be the outcome of a positive attitude but does not guarantee happiness. We see daily evidence of this phenomena. A happy person is glad they are alive. They look forward to the opportunities to express them selves and serve others. Contribution and self expression are common attributes of happy people.
A high percentage of people do not consider themselves happy and do not know how to get started. Having passionate interests is enviable but many can’t find them. I like to recommend starting with the basics. Start taking care of yourself with healthy eating and exercise. The healthier and more energetic you feel, the stronger your connection to a larger picture.
The better you feel, the more grateful you become. You become inspired to increase your good fortune. You may decide to contribute and help others feel better. You’re on the right track.
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