revolutionary in training

They say practice makes perfect and this certainly applies to one’s attitude. For those of us who, by nature, are less than cheery apple pie kind of people (and let’s admit that’s probably most of us), it’s particularly important to practice the art of cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Not only because people with positive outlooks are generally better to be around, but they’re also happier and couldn’t we all use more happiness in our lives?

At any given time there are any number of reasons to feel frustrated, discontent, sad or some other negative emotion. The same can be said for the other side; there’s usually plenty of things to be happy about as well. The problem is that it’s quite common that most people access their negative feelings easier than the positive ones. But all is not lost. Whether you’re born a pessimist, a realist, or someone who generally gets down a lot, this doesn’t have to be your lot in life. It’s possible to choose your emotions and actually become someone who thinks, behaves and feels positive and happy, just as if it were second nature to you.

The best thing about choosing to be positive is that it actually works. I should know because I’m a born realist who can tend to see the world in black and white, with an emphasis on the negative aspects of a situation. Growing up I never knew that I could actually choose my emotions and it wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I realized that emotions don’t have to be just a gut reaction. This has probably been the most powerful lesson I’ve learned so far on my journey through life. Now, instead of just taking whatever life throws at me, I make a conscious decision to focus on positive things.

When I first started doing this I was very skeptical to say the least. Emotions can be very strong things and it’s tempting to believe that they control you, but the reality is that they don’t have to. By consistently guiding my thoughts to see the many wonderful things in my life, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that being a positive, happy person actually started coming easier and easier to me. No, it’s not always easy and sometimes there are situations that are just plain old rotten. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of things to be grateful for. It’s the hard times in particular which benefit the most from this new attitude, but it’s these times that it also takes the most practice. But I promise you, it’s worth the effort.

Personally, I’ve found one of the most helpful ways to develop this positive attitude is to practice being grateful. If you find yourself feeling negative for any reason, just take a few minutes break and think of 10 things your grateful for in your life. They can be simple things like a perfect espresso, catching the train just when you thought you’d be late for work, or great weather. Or maybe you’re grateful for your health, a loved one, or your job. There are endless things to be grateful for, but it does take a bit of effort to make these things the center of your attention, not the guy you got stuck behind in the checkout line who took 5 minutes to count out the change from his pocket.

Another great thing about gratitudes is that it’s free and can be done anywhere. At any time of the day or night you can jot down 10 (or more) things you’re grateful for and focus on the feelings associated with those gratitudes. The more you do this, the more you will feel grateful, happy and content. It’s not magic, it’s just good old fashion hard work. In fact, it’s not even that hard once you start making it a part of your daily life. So, go ahead. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. What have you got to lose besides a case of the grumps?