The Dalai Lama said “It is very important to know that we can each transform ourselves into a better happier person. I think it's important to recognize this. I think that we should make an effort to develop a new inner work”
In an overwhelming negative world, with poverty, starvation, violence, and WAR. One can feel powerless. And “yes”, as a single entity we are. So let's consider where we are powerful: We have the capacity to change our own attitude and outlook on life. Change begin with the belief that there is hope.
If we consider that our thoughts create our reality. We can move our focus from negative to positive thoughts, chance can occur! One great tool to do just that is to create gratitude.
Gratitude is an important pillar in living life with joy. It shifts our perspective towards all that we have rather than focusing on our faults and lacks. Brother David Steindl-Rast said in the book of Joy: “It is not happiness that makes us grateful, it is gratefulness that makes us happy. Every moment is a gift.”
Gratitude means embracing reality and moving from counting burdens to counting blessings. We have to recognize the opportunity that life offer at the present moment.
People who focus on gratitude, generally are more active, have fewer physical symptoms, focus more on positive events and achieve more of their personal goals.
Being grateful stimulates the part of the brain (hypothalamus) which is involved in regulating stress, as well as the ventral tegmental region which is part of the reward circuit that produces pleasure in the brain. The knock-on effect is that we care more about others. The moment we think about others our mind becomes broader and more open and our problems appear less significant.
Challenge: Write down 3 things from your day that you are grateful for in your journal. Do this every day and vary what you write as this has shown to have a great effect.