美好生活从学会感激开始

If you are feeling that life just cannot be any worse for you, it can be challenging to think positive thoughts. When we are stressed, depressed, upset, or otherwise in a negative state of mind because we perceive that "bad things" keep happening to us, it is important to shift those negative thoughts to something positive. If we don't, we will only attract more "bad things."

It is often very hard to think positive when so many things are negative, but I can assure you that someone, somewhere is worse off than you. We can choose to think differently by beginning with the smallest of steps.

If you start with one small, positive thing and repeat it during the course of your day, you will begin to move into a more positive situation: positive thoughts, feelings, opportunities and people will start showing up in your life. With practice, you will find that over time, you will change your outlook and choose to be happy, irregardless of the events around you.

Here are a few examples for you to practice. Say them out loud and with feeling!

Begin and end each day with a "Thank you for this wonderful, glorious day!"

When you see the gas prices hiking, say "I am so glad that I am blessed to have a vehicle in which to get around."

When you are late for work, say "I am so happy and grateful for my job as I know that many don't have one."

If you are having health problems, be grateful for what does work: "I really do appreciate my eyes that see, my ears that hear, my mouth that tastes, my legs that walk, my arms that lift, my hands that write, my mind that thinks, my knees that bend and my tongue that talks." The possibilities here are endless: insert what does work for you and feel good about it!

Write down what you're grateful for each day. In moments when you're feeling really down, read what you wrote previously. This will help uplift your spirits. If you practice this regularly, you will find that your list will get longer and longer.

The key is to move yourself into a positive thought and keep it there long enough to make it a moment of blissful peace. The more you practice, the happier you'll be.