By Mary Jaksch
Gratitude is like a muscle that we need to exercise. The following twelve questions will help you to practice gratitude:
- What made you happy?
- What energized you?
- What barrier did you overcome?
- What changed you?
- What triggered your creativity?
- What deepened your spirituality?
- What kindness did you experience?
- What did others do for you?
- What inspired you?
- What made you feel good?
- What made you laugh?
- What difficulty taught you an important lesson?
Gratitude is a mind state that leads to happiness and contentment. So, it’s good to walk through life with a grateful heart. We can get caught up in negative emotions, like resentment or anger. But such emotions are destructive and painful for you as well as for others.
Whenever you notice that you’re energy is negative, ask yourself:
“What am I grateful for?”
Please share your answer in the comments.
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As always, great post, Mary.
If we seek happiness it will always elude us, but we have an “attitude of gratitude”, happiness will always find us.
What we choose to focus on and think about determines how we feel. We can choose to concentrate on lack, want, and what we don’t have, which always leads to sadness and heartache – or we can choose to center our thoughts on what we are grateful for, which always leads to feelings of joy and happiness.
Answering your twelve questions should be our part of our daily ritual. “Thanksgiving” should be celebrated everyday, not just today.
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”. Shakespeare.
.-= Contrarian´s last blog ..The Lemming Factor- Is Failure is Genetic =-.
Hi Mary,
I agree with you that gratitude is a muscle we need to exercise. The more we use it, the easier it becomes for us to be grateful for the things in life. The less we use it, we will find that we hardly value anything in life and take a lot for granted. This can only lead to problems in the long run.
Cultivating a grateful mindset will indeed lead to happiness and contentment in the long run. It will also make it easier for us to deal with negative emotions as long as it becomes easier for us to slip into this state by default and due to habit.
The questions you have suggested are simple, thought provoking and profound. Just going through them really reminds me about what is important and what I should be grateful for.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful article!
Irving aka the Vizier
.-= The Vizier´s last blog ..The Dangers of Making Assumptions =-.
Hey Mary, great one.
I need to practice my gratitude way more often. Here it goes:
1. What made you happy?
Becoming my own business owner.
2. What energized you?
Listening to my favorite music and knowing that I positively impact this world.
3. What barrier did you overcome?
The barrier of procrastination. I no longer hesitate with important things and projects.
4. What changed you?
My world travels.
5. What triggered your creativity?
A Ghostbusters comic back when I was 7.
6. What deepened your spirituality ?
Walking outside and listening to my favorite music.
7. What kindness did you experience?
Having other people cook delicious food me (even though they didn’t know me!)
8. What did others do for you?
A family that I didn’t know let me stay at their house because I had no money.
9. What inspired you?
A swipe folder full of video game pics.
10. What made you feel good?
A Chai tea in the cold evening.
11. What made you laugh?
The story of a naive person who wants to change the world. I laughed with him, not at him.
12. What difficulty taught you an important lesson?
The times in school when kids derided me for my small size. It taught me that true suffering is only in your mind and not rooted in reality.
I’m grateful for exactly what I have.
Alex
When I wake, I open my heart to the day and am grateful for All in it..I am grateful that my heart is open..I am grateful for the path I’ve walked, I’m grateful for the steps I will take..Life is as magical, as grand as I allow it to be!
Why is it easier to exercise the body than the mind? At least for me, it’s been that way for twenty-seven years of training at the gym, five to six times a week. The only time I found it easier to exercise my mind, was in Belize, Central America, where my family lived for one year. Nature, the stunning Caribbean, and time away from the material world, made it possible for me to develop a sense of true gratitude. I try hard to incorporate that in busy Orange County, California. I have to exercise my gratitude muscles harder over here. Thanks Mary for the list.
I’m grateful for the opportunities to serve others in a way that has a positive impact.
I am grateful for you Mary, and the friendship, support, and encouragement which you (and the A-List Blogger Club) have given me so freely as I seek to “grow” my blog.
It seems to me that gratitude is one of the core qualities of our being. It’s pulsing away there all the time just waiting to be expressed in my living. Right now–I’m so grateful for the bunny who lives beneath our big blue spruce tree and is happily munching grass (never too far from the safety of the tree mind you).
.-= Christopher Foster´s last blog ..How to say “yes” to the peace of your own being =-.
Mary,
I love the way you connect gratitude to happiness and contentment! This is a perfect list for everyday of the year. I’m grateful for all the inspiration, wisdom, and knowledge you share here.
.-= Sandra Lee´s last blog ..Happiness Is An Inside Job =-.
This has been one of the most fortunate and abundant years of my life. I go to bed every night and find myself reciting a list of things that I have to be grateful for, as I drift off to sleep. But in my darker moments, I remember that the only axiom that is true in all places and at all tomes is that “this too shall pass.” Thats when I feel that twinge of anxiety as I face the realization that what is easily gotten can be easily lost. For that matter what is hard earned can be easily lost. I see the wisdom of including “What barrier did you overcome?” and “What difficulty taught you an important lesson?” in your list. I don’t consider these enough. Its not that this year was all peaches and cream, it just seems that way when I compare it to many past years. Those more difficult times called forth my resilience and inner strength, and when I’m feeling that anxiety about the certainty of change I need to be grateful for that training as well as for more recent blessings.
I am grateful for the person who cares for me deeply, looks after me when I am ill (like right now) and takes helps support me with my children. This gratitude is immense. Thanks for the reminder. I have a book dedicated to writing down what is ‘working’, what I am grateful for and what I’ve achieved successfully so far. It is such a great thing to do when feeling a little blue, you are right (or even when you’re not)
Amelia.x
.-= Amelia´s last blog ..thank you give-away package! =-.
These are great questions, Mary. I’m going to use them to update my list of “Touchstones.” My Touchstone list is a list of things that I appreciate, things I’m happy about, things I love, things that light me up. I call it touchstone, because everything on the list is a link to happiness, like a touchstone is to some intended thought. I use the list as a pick-me-up, and I haven’t added to it lately. I’ll have fun doing that with your list of questions.
Thanks!
.-= Ande Waggener´s last blog ..The 1 Reason Why You Keep Getting Disappointed =-.
I’m grateful for not being deaf, so i get to listen to so many beautiful songs since i was small. (p/s: music is my life
)
Love feeling gratitude so here goes.
1. What made you happy? Being my own boss.
2. What energized you? New ideas, running and great conversations.
3. What barrier did you overcome? Changing careers.
4. What changed you? Having a child.
5. What triggered your creativity? Nature.
6. What deepened your spirituality? Books and generous people.
7. What kindness did you experience? A mentor believing in my writing.
8. What did others do for you? Believed, supported, shared.
9. What inspired you? The immense generosity of people.
10. What made you feel good? Doing things I didn’t think were possible.
11. What made you laugh? My daughter’s laugh.
12. What difficulty taught you an important lesson? Failure, loss, disappointment have led to resiliency and strength and self love.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..What The World Needs Now =-.
Wow. Have begun using gratitude as a tool to create joy and help those who are unwell, in there healing process. Am so eager to use this with them and myself, so as to deepen this powerful energetic shift of gratitude.
My answers
What made you happy? A beautiful sky, peaceful day
What energized you? Good music and tea
What barrier did you overcome? Learning to see the ‘i’
What changed you? Learning from others.
What triggered your creativity? Peace of mind.
What deepened your spirituality? Discussion and giving.
What kindness did you experience? a compassionate look
What did others do for you? Show appreciation and be accepting
What inspired you? Wise teachers and books
What made you feel good? A walk in nature
What made you laugh? my family’s humour
What difficulty taught you an important lesson? Physical weakness, struggle,living in an uncertain world, taught me that the ‘how’ we live in this moment is important, how we give, how well we accept and love whatever is, here.
Just finished answering these questions and I feel much happier for doing so! Thank you!
1. What made you happy? The SNOW we just got! I still react to snow the same way I did when I was five
2. What energised you? Seeing this post over on jezebel.com: http://jezebel.com/5700657/our-readers-kick-ass Seeing all the stories of other women kicking ass makes me want to make myself strong!
3.What barrier did you overcome? I started to learn not to be quite so hard on myself
4. What changed you? Having a boyfriend who loves me just as I am.
5. What triggered you creativity? Feminism. Wanting to see a change inspired me to help run the feminist network in my city, run events and gave me a strength I didn’t know I had (running a 30+ person group discussion, eep!)
6. What deepened your spirituality? Practicing yoga after telling myself I was going to go to a class for YEARS
7. What kindness did you experience? The support of my best friend in the world who said “nobody believes in you more than me”.
8 What did others do for you? Get me to the end of my university course, in spite of my depression at the time.
9. What inspired you? Seeing other people who work in the industry I want to build something from nothing.
10. What made you feel good? Holding my degree in my hand, finally.
11. What made you laugh? A good bit of stand-up comedy or an episode of Community.
12. What difficulty taught you an important lesson? The struggle I had with depression earlier in the year taught me that this too really shall pass!
1.What made you happy? Spending time with family and friends.
2.What energized you? This post…http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/11/25/wife-hunting/
3.What barrier did you overcome? hate for self
4.What changed you? boredom of a traditional life
5.Who triggered your creativity? Mary Jaksch
6.What deepened your spirituality? Buddhism
7.What kindness did you experience? my first Buddha statue
8.What did others do for you? they asked me questions.
9.What inspired you? watching a mom who was observing her kids playing.
10.What made you feel good? when you smile at me.
11.What made you laugh? Tracy Morgan.
12.What difficulty taught you an important lesson? being single…I am complete by myself. Love from another is important, but supplemental, not integral to a fulfilling life.
i think as adults sometimes we get caught up in the ‘grand’ meaning of tings – my daughter aged 2 and a half at the time when we would do a gratitude meditation would say that she was grateful for beans!
Mary,
Love the questions?
What made me happy? Knowing that I am loved.
What energized you? Writing, running and eating healthy.
What barrier did you overcome? Moving and improving my editing on my blog.
What changed me? Alist Bloggers Club.
Who triggered my creativity? Katie Tallo and her use of metaphors.
What deepened my spirituality? Listening to Jacob Glass.
What kindness did you experience? Too much to list here!
What did others do for me? Love and accept me.
What inspired me? My hubs and fellow bloggers.
What made me feel good? Loving, helping and serving others.
What made me laugh? Friends and family.
What difficulty taught me an important lesson? My mother turned 90 and she’s dying. I’m learning to let go and know our love will never die.
Mary,
I think I could answer these each week and find benefits.
This is a really thought provoking list of questions. From basic gratitude for hot water this week when England went through the coldest spell it’s seen in 100 years, to nurturing my spiritual practice by keeping an open and curious mind and learning how to be more calm and attentive, I find that gratitude is everything in reigning in our egos and helping our personal growth.
.-= Ananga´s last blog ..3 Anxiety Breathing Techniques You Can Practice Anywhere =-.
Hi Mary! This is an exercise that I love. My husband and I do a half hour of gratitude as soon as we wake up before doing anything else (before meditation even). This sets of the day in a joyous mode. What I’m most grateful for is the blessings the universe brings each day. I never know what they are but they are always splendid. Therefore, I’m grateful for all that I encounter and experience (“good” or “bad”).
Thanks for this gorgeous exercise. Loving blessigns!
.-= Andrea DeBell – britetalk´s last blog ..Kickstart an Abundant Life the Easy Way =-.
Hi Mary,
What a complete list! I will share this with my sons as it will be a good way to communicate with them to understand their thoughts and for them to know where I am coming from. Thanks for this!
.-= Jenny Hones´s last blog ..Japanese Blood Type A vs B =-.
Hi Mary,
I just discovered your blog, and am enjoying reading through your posts.
I am grateful for the person I’ve become. Each morning I wake up I take a few moments and breaths and say, (out loud if no one is around) ” I am thankful to be alive today. I am loved, I am healing, and I am working towards my destiny. I am doing my best and that is enough.”
Over the past 5 years I have been walking through a journey of healing. 5 years ago, a man walked in to my college and opened fire on the students, killing one, and injuring 19. This happening unraveled me and as anger and grief from issues in my childhood started surfacing, I plunged into a battle with depression, on and off, for this time period.
I feel as if I am nearing the end of this journey and I can truly say that I am grateful for who I’ve become. I am more open, whole, compassionate, strong, intuitive, and able to look at difficulties and suffering and mind games, and use positive thinking and meditation to find the path out.
I will continue to follow your blog and be inspired by it, Thank you.
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