10 Powerful Reasons to Choose Gratitude

It’s not easy to choose gratitude, especially with everything going on in the world today. While you cannot change the things that are happening in the world or how it affects you and your family, you can control your response to it. There are powerful reasons to choose gratitude in you’re response.

This really hit me recently. It was one of those days where I had spent the better half of the afternoon cleaning. The kids had been home from school for less than 30 minutes and their stuff was everywhere. As I looked around I couldn’t help but think, after all that work, I didn’t even get to enjoy the clean house for a moment. Now it was time to start dinner.

Halfway through dinner preparation, I open the refrigerator and there’s no cheese. Someone ate the last of the cheese and didn’t bother telling me. I needed that cheese for dinner. Looks like I have to run to the store.

Grumbling, I head to the store to pick up some more cheese. At this point, my attitude pretty much stunk and I had a woe is me mentality. I was not grateful for anything and it was showing.

Believe me, I don’t always do this, but, this particular day the Lord was gracious to me and I took a moment to stop and confess my attitude. I knew I needed to change my attitude from grumbling and complaining to purposefully choose

When I did everything changed and I discovered a list of reasons to choose gratitude.

1. Your Whole Perspective Changes

Instead of focusing on everything that was going wrong, your thinking shifts to gratitude for what you have. For me I have a home to clean, two beautiful children that I love, the financial resources to go to the grocery store at the last minute, and in a car that was completely paid for.

Making the conscious choice to choose gratitude has the power to instantly transform your perspective. It is like putting your life under a microscope, the little positive things you cannot see suddenly come into focus.

When looking for reasons to choose gratitude know that is will allow you to see all of the abundances that you have even when things don’t go the way you planned!

2. You Are Able To Focus On Others

Choosing gratitude allows you to see how blessed you are to have the people you love in your life.

When my day was not going as planned and I made the choice to look for reasons to choose gratitude, I realized how blessed I was to have children who made messes. My last-minute trip to the grocery store meant I had a family to cook and clean for. I could be there for them by providing a nice, healthy home-cooked meal.

My perspective was no longer about me and my inconvenience. Rather, it had transformed into a clear focus on my family and the many ways I could serve them and be there for them.

It’s just a simple truth that the more you focus on others, the smaller your own problems become!

3. You Gain Contentment

When you choose gratitude it creates contentment with your life right where it is.

So often we spend way too much time thinking about all the things we do not have, that we fail to see all that we do have. However, when you are thankful for the circumstances in your life, you become content right where you are!

It’s hard to think of a more powerful reason to choose gratitude then letting go of discontentment. Discontentment is a form of bondage. There is no satisfaction, you are trapped constantly searching for more, for something else. On the other hand, gratitude frees you from this bondage and allows you to fully enjoy your life right where you are!

4. Choosing Gratitude Takes Your Focus off of Your Circumstances

Here is a simple reality, when we are focused on our circumstances, life is hard. There was a television show with one particular episode that left an impact on me. One of the characters was bemoaning her circumstances. The other character asked her “why are your problems more important than anyone else”? The response was golden —- “because they are my problems.”

When our focus is on our circumstances our problems are magnified and we are not concerned about others. The opposite becomes true when we choose to focus on choosing gratitude despite our circumstances.

Gratitude somehow removes our focus from ourselves and our problems are not nearly as large. Gratitude forces us to change our focus from our problems to what is good in our life!

5. Gratitude Puts Us In A Happier Mood

I feel like this one is a given. Being thankful, focusing on gratitude and all that you have, instantly makes you happier.

When you are happier, you will naturally feel more relaxed. A happy and relaxed feeling will help you to feel more positive and thankful for all you have in your life. It’s a circle worth going round in!

6. You Are More Resilient to Set Backs

No one’s life goes exactly as planned. Setbacks are a normal part of life that we all experience at some point.

Setbacks can come in many forms, an illness, a project not working as planned, or financial issues. The thing, however, is that setbacks can be hard to bounce back from. They can even stop us in our tracks.

But when we learn to be thankful and focus on the good things we have in our lives, even in the midst of a setback, we are able to be far more resilient and bounce back much quicker.

7. Gratitude Increases Productivity

Negative emotions impact more than just our thoughts. Negative emotions literally weigh us down, they zap our energy and productivity. On the other hand, a regular practice of gratitude has countless benefits, including increasing overall energy which in turn increases our productivity.

I love this quote, even though I am not sure where it came from:

“a negative mind will never produce a positive result”

A positive mind can, however, produce a positive result. You will be able to accomplish so much more and feel good about doing it!  This naturally comes as you focus on the good and cultivate gratitude.

8. You Will Sleep Better

Worry and anxiety rob us of our sleep. When we focus on our problems worry and anxieties are the natural byproducts.

However, when we make an effort to be thankful for the things that are in our life, our mind and our physical bodies begin to relax. As we relax, we are able to sleep and our quality of sleep improves. Because our hearts are at peace, we sleep more soundly.

A great habit to develop is to start a gratitude journal. Each night before going to bed take a couple of minutes and simply write down three things that you are grateful. It takes only a moment but will have a dramatic impact on helping you to choose gratitude

9. Gratitude Benefits Your Health

According to an article from today.com gratitude is good for your health. Regularly practicing gratitude lowers blood pressure, improves immune function, and facilitates more efficient sleep.

If you are feeling physically run down, try jotting down a few things that you are grateful for to increase your health.

10. Gratitude Reduces Materialism

This is one of my favorite reasons to choose gratitude! Materialism is strongly connected to reduced overall well-being.

We live in a society that encourages materialism. However, the minimalist movement has shown that materialism makes people feel less content and reduces feelings of gratitude.

When you are overwhelmed with stuff, you reduce the ability to appreciate all that you have. Rather than being grateful for what you do have, the focus becomes on what you don’t have. Excess possessions is an addiction, the more we have, the more we want.

On the contrary, gratitude will cause you to focus less on things that don’t matter, and more on the things that do, like your family and other relationships.

These are just some of the reasons to choose gratitude. It’s not always easy to change your attitude from one of grumbling and complaining to one of gratitude. But when you do, you truly will be glad you did!

So stop and take a moment right now to write down what you are grateful for today!