Episode 86 - The Power of Gratitude
Episode 86 - The Power of Gratitude
Hello, friends!
Welcome to the Seasons of Joy Podcast.
Before I get started on today’s podcast episode, I wanted to remind you about the 5 Day Relationship Reboot Challenge that I released last week on the podcast. My purpose for this was to give you some tools that you can use as we move into the holiday season.
I wanted to share about one person’s experience doing the challenge.
This person was surprised how little time it took to do the daily challenges. She was surprised at what she learned about herself. She was able to see the power in journaling and thought downloads. She said that her heart is full of hope and love as she considers the possibilities around her relationship of focus.
I love this so much. It really isn’t about perfection. It is about taking action. How do we want to show up in the relationships in our lives? If you haven’t taken the challenge, no worries. The cool thing is you can do this challenge at any time. You can even repeat the challenge with a different relationship when you are ready..
You can find the link to the workbook that I created for this challenge in the show notes. I would love to hear about your experience too. Just shoot me a DM on instagram or an email.
One other thing that I would like to tell you about is my upcoming group coaching program called Season of Connection. It is going to begin in January and run for 6 weeks. This is an opportunity to gather with other women to learn how to strengthen the relationships in your life whether it is with yourself, others, or God. As midlife women, it can be challenging to navigate the changes that occur in this season of life. We can begin to feel disconnected in our relationships with ourselves, others, or God. This group setting provides a beautiful space of learning and support. Group coaching can be so powerful. As you hear other people’s stories and you see other people get coached, it helps you gain greater awareness around your stories. If you would like to get on the waiting list click the link in the show notes.
Now onto today’s episode.
Last week, I had the opportunity to do a guest presentation on gratitude. I have been thinking about it ever since. I thought it would be a good topic to cover on the podcast this week since Thanksgiving is in a couple of days.
Gratitude is a powerful force that has the ability to transform our lives for the better. It is the act of acknowledging and appreciating the good things in our lives, whether they are big or small, and recognizing the positive impact they have on us. It is a powerful emotion that has been proven to bring numerous benefits to our physical and mental health.
One benefit is that it increases relationship opportunities. When we express gratitude towards others, we create a positive environment that encourages people to be around us. It also helps to build trust and strengthen existing relationships.
Gratitude also has a direct impact on our physical health. Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude have lower blood pressure, are less likely to suffer from heart disease, and have a stronger immune system.
Gratitude has even been linked to better sleep quality. When we focus on the positive aspects of our lives before going to bed, our minds are more relaxed, and we are better able to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Gratitude may also reduce inflammation, and improve our overall well-being.
Mentally, gratitude can improve our psychological health. Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis experience less stress, anxiety, and depression. They also report feeling more optimistic, satisfied with life, and connected to others. When we focus on the good things in life, we become more resilient and better equipped to deal with life's challenges.
Can you see this in your life? I can.
Grateful people tend to be more compassionate and understanding towards others, which helps to reduce conflicts and create more harmonious relationships. Our empathy for others increases while reducing our desire to retaliate or be aggressive towards others.
Gratitude is an excellent way to improve self-esteem and increase mental strength. When we are grateful for what we have, we feel more confident and capable of achieving our goals.
If you have listened to me for long, you know that I teach what we think creates how we feel which fuels how we show up in the world which creates our overall experience.
So what is gratitude? Is it a thought? Is it a feeling? Is it an action? It is an experience or a result we create for ourselves?
I believe that is all of that.
When we practice gratitude, we shift our focus from what we don't have to what we do have. We become more aware of the blessings in our lives, and we begin to see the world in a more positive light. This shift in perspective can have a profound impact on our mental and emotional well-being like I mentioned in the beginning.
One of the reasons why gratitude is so powerful is that it helps us cultivate a sense of abundance. When we focus on what we are grateful for, we begin to see that we have more than enough in our lives. This abundance mindset can help us attract even more positive experiences into our lives. For example, if we are grateful for our health, we are more likely to take care of our bodies and make choices that benefit our health. If we are grateful for our relationships, we are more likely to nurture them and attract more positive connections into our lives.
Gratitude becomes a way of life that can bring us more joy, happiness, and fulfillment.
I love a talk that was given my Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled “Grateful in Any Circumstance.” He teaches a powerful lesson in this talk. He builds on the idea that I have shared that gratitude really is a way of life but he adds that it can actually be independent of our current situation. He invites us to consider “instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be.”
He shares a story of “a waiter who asked a customer whether he had enjoyed the meal. The guest replied that everything was fine, but it would have been better if they had served more bread. The next day, when the man returned, the waiter doubled the amount of bread, giving him four slices instead of two, but still the man was not happy. The next day, the waiter doubled the bread again, without success.
On the fourth day, the waiter was really determined to make the man happy. And so he took a nine-foot-long (3-m) loaf of bread, cut it in half, and with a smile, served that to the customer. The waiter could scarcely wait for the man’s reaction.
After the meal, the man looked up and said, “Good as always. But I see you’re back to giving only two slices of bread.”
Gratitude truly is a choice. We can choose to be grateful, to have an attitude of gratitude, no matter our circumstances.
Elder Uchtdorf goes on to explain what type of gratitude he is talking about.
“This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer.
When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise. In pain, we can glory in Christ’s Atonement. In the cold of bitter sorrow, we can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven’s embrace.”
He goes on, “We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?
Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we look beyond our present-day challenges.
This is not a gratitude of the lips but of the soul. It is a gratitude that heals the heart and expands the mind.”
When working with clients, I try to show them it isn’t just about finding a happy thought to believe. It is about accepting the reality of what is true while focusing on what else is true in your story so you can create something different when you are ready.
For example, I haven’t loved having a broken wrist for the last 4 months. Am I ready for it to be done? Definitely, but I have felt gratitude for the amazing things my body can still do. I felt gratitude for supportive family and friends during this time. I have felt gratitude for my increased empathy for others who are experiencing physical challenges.
My heart has found healing through gratitude. All of my life’s problems have not been solved but by shifting my perspective I have found hope in the heartache, peace in the process, and joy in the journey. The power of gratitude allows us to see and embrace the beauty of life.
So how can we practice this type of gratitude in our daily lives?
In order to create and feel more gratitude in our lives, we must pay attention to what we are focusing on. What we focus on expands. By focusing on the positive aspects of our lives, we can train our brains to notice and appreciate more of them.
One simple way is to start a gratitude journal. Each day, write down three things you are grateful for. They can be as simple as a warm drink in the morning, a kind gesture from a friend, or a tender mercy of Heavenly Father.
Another simple way is through prayer or meditation. By slowing down and connecting with heaven, our eyes may be opened to things we may not have been able to see before.
This shift of focus then creates the emotion of gratitude which fuels how we show up in our lives.
From that feeling of gratitude we will take action. One action we can take is to express it to others. We can take the time to thank the people in our life who have made a positive impact on us. Write a thank you note, send a text message, or simply tell them in person how much you appreciate them. If writing isn’t your thing, you may just want to think about that person and mentally thank them. When we express gratitude, we are not only an influence for good, but we also strengthen our own connections and relationships with others.
When we focus on what we are grateful for and what we are grateful in, we feel more grateful and we live gratefully. It really does become a way of life.
What if this Thanksgiving you could focus on what you are grateful in? Instead of just listing out your blessings, could you dig deep and consider the “gratitude of your soul”in your current circumstances? What will you discover that maybe you haven’t noticed before?
That is all that I have for you today. Thank you for being here and have a beautiful and joyful Thanksgiving.
Mentioned on the podcast:
Grateful in Any Circumstance by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Join the Season of Connection 6-Week Group Coaching Program in 2024 HERE
Grab the 5 Day Relationship Reboot Challenge Workbook HERE
If you are ready to take these concepts and apply them to your circumstances, I would love to be your coach.
For another great FREE resource, grab my Mending the Rift: Repairing Relationships with Adult Children
Click on the following links to learn more about Seasons Coaching and my Seasons of Joy Community Facebook Group.
Are you ready to take what I teach to a deeper level? I would love to be your coach!
Click HERE to learn more about my Season of Creation 12-Week Coaching package.
To contact me about speaking to your group or business, email me at jill@seasons-coaching.com.
