How to have an attitude of gratitude:

Everyone thinks that developing an attitude of gratitude will happen overnight.

Everyone thinks that developing an attitude of gratitude will happen overnight. We believe that by making a few simple changes in our lives, all will be well in our world. We will instantly learn keys, tools, and tricks which will lead us to become more thankful and gracious. When in all actuality, having an attitude of gratitude or instead developing one is a process. It takes time. And if we already have other issues which overlay who we are striving to be, attempting to be thankful is like putting on a costume to make us think or appear that we are in excellent light and socially accepted. My question then would be are you authentically accepting yourself for who you are? This question leads me to believe that it becomes necessary to understand self-love. Think about it this way. We are positive, we are thankful, we are grateful, and we are accepted because after all, to be thought of as a grateful person is terrific, right? Hold up. Please lay that halo and mask down right now for a moment. To get to the how to have an "attitude of gratitude," we must begin with the "how to."​

Key number one is analyzing your mindset.

We may need a mindset tune-up. Everything in life begins with our thinking. Our mindsets are what sets us apart from the rest. Before we have an attitude of gratitude, mindset reconstruction may be in order. A quick, painless, and non-superficial way of learning more about you, is to journal. I know it seems so cliche. However, you would be amazed at how much you learn about yourself through self-reflection. How to have an attitude of gratitude means how to think clearly by releasing other things that could potentially hinder you.

Key number two is self-awareness.

Once you begin writing in your journals for at least a week or two and writing everything that comes to mind, you will discover is there may be issues that you never realized were issues. Hum! That is if you are honest with yourself. This is what I would refer to as purging. Purging would be like changing your oil on a car. After so many miles, your engine can be potentially damaged. When the vehicle does not receive new oil, the motor is sure to blow out eventually. In like manner, when we reference purging, we must change our mindset after a period. ​What you will discover as your perspective is enlightened you will realize that you didn't know how ugly your emotions were until they begin to pour out. They pour out in common responses. In negative behaviors and when you deflect your understanding of another without taking responsibility for the role you played. Writing in your journal will help you reset your emotional oil. As a tip inside of a tip, take care of your emotional engine through self-awareness and acceptance. Learn who you are…

Key number three is taking a retrospective hard look at your attitude. It's not the lady's fault who cut in front of you on the highway. Nor is it about the bad day you had on the job. Nope, it may not be about your boss who angered you. Look at you and your attitude. You often hear, be proactive la de da de da right? Let’s be real. Being proactive is not always realistic. However, what I can say is if your attitude is not managed, it will be challenging to form interpersonal bonds. How can our position change? Key number one, check your mindset and give it a quick tune-up, secondly, become self-aware and own who you are, and lastly, remember that your attitude is pivotal to living in a state of gratitude. That’s all for now. Be on the lookout for part two.

-Lisa @d2dlife1