Words of Gratitude

‘Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.' — Melody Beattie

I LOVE that quote.

Gratitude, for me…in it’s simplistic form is this –

I am thankful for the chance to be alive, for the people in my life, and for the opportunity to be able to write this post for you. I feel blessed and oh so grateful to be able to wake up every day and see the sun rise in the sky. Because I know that these small things do not happen in the lives of everyone.

And, as I wrote that, I looked at the 2 words ‘gratitude' and ‘thankful'. And then I got to thinking…

Are gratitude and thankfulness the same thing?

So I did a little digging and found out that The Oxford Dictionary defines the words this way:

• Grateful – showing an appreciation of kindness.
• Thankful – pleased and relieved. Meaning: pleased about something good that has happened, or that something bad has not happened.

This is where the difference lies; being thankful is a feeling and being grateful is an action.

WOW – actions vs feelings. Who knew! Did you know that? I certainly did not.

As I think about it a little more I realize that the words ‘act of kindness' are an action. When you do, or participate in an ‘act of kindness' you are DOING. Not just showing. (BTW – I have a FREE Random Act of Kindness Challenge. Check it out).

In order to focus on the gratitude you need to begin with thankfulness.

Being thankful is the first step. You start out with the feeling of being thankful. Once you have taken that first step you can then move into the direction of gratefulness. You shift your focus from one to the other.

It's easy to feel thankful when you are surrounded by your family and friends. When everyone is together and sitting at the Thanksgiving table. You feel happy, content and thankful.

Gratitude is different. It begins with the feelings of happiness and being content. Only it is more than that.

Gratitude requires that you pay attention to the role that others play in your life. Rather than saying a simple ‘thank you' or feeling thankful…you learn how to recognize your gratefulness to your family and friends. And to give them the appreciation that they deserve. Whether that be a hug, a soft touch, a heartfelt card, or a phone call.

Now, I created a ‘Daily Gratitude Journal'. It is located in the ‘Joyful Living Toolbox.‘ This journal helps your mind move from being thankful to being grateful. It helps you learn to appreciate everything that you DO have. And to no longer focus on what you don't have.

I am a quote person. Quotes can sum up what I am feeling in a few simple words. Here are a few for you.

Words of Gratitude Quotes

• The struggle ends when gratitude begins. Neale Donald Walsh
• Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. Melody Beattie.
• Gratitude turns what we have into enough. Aesop
• This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before. Maya Angelou
• Gratitude plants little smiley faces on everything it touches. Richelle E. Goodrich

Being Thankful Quotes.

• Be present in all things and thankful for all things. Maya Angelou
• Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. Alphonse Karr
• Strive to find things to be thankful for, and just look for the good in who you are. Bethany Hamilton
• If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get. Frank A. Clark
• It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart. Anonymous

How do you express gratitude in words?

You can put extra stress or emphasis on the words that express these feelings of gratitude, such as ‘thanks', ‘thank you,' ‘appreciate', thankful', and ‘grateful‘.

I found these examples on Hallmark:

• You're the best.
• I'm humbled and grateful.
• You knocked me off my feet!
• My heart is still smiling.
• Your thoughtfulness is a gift I will always treasure.
• Sometimes the simplest things mean the most.
• The banana bread was fabulous. You made my day.
• I'm touched beyond words.

Gratitude for life.

I gotta say here…when you learn how to, not only be thankful, but also learn how to take that thankfulness and turn it into gratitude you are on your way to living a joyful life. Living a joyful life is all about beginning your days with gratitude and thankfulness.

So, if you are struggling with being grateful…1st find the thankfulness. If you are struggling with being thankful…begin EVERY DAY writing down everything you are thankful for. EVERYTHING. From the little to the big.

And then turn those feelings of thankfulness to actions of gratitude.

You got this. I know you do!

Sometimes, when life gets really difficult, it might be hard to find thankfulness. To find gratitude. And when that happens you might get so overwhelmed that stress sets in, right?

And when stress sets in it is sometimes difficult to be happy or joyful. So, don’t let stress have the last word! 

Go on and take a look at the ‘Top 5 Stress Reducers’ (Action Plan included). So that you can eliminate what causes you stress and get on the path of living a joyful life.

What is Joyful Living is all about?

Joyful Living is ALL about not letting let the circumstances of YOUR life determine who you really are. You learn to choose YOU instead! Not sure how to do that? Let me help! 

To begin, go ahead and read:

• What is Joyful Living?
• 5 Simple Steps to Choosing Joy
• Finding Joy in All Things
• What Does God Say About Joy?
• Difference Between Happiness and Joy