“Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic.” —John Henry Jowet
Gratitude matters.
A grateful heart is a contented heart. A contented heart is a simple heart. And a simple heart leads to a simplified life.
Gratitude opens the door to simplicity. A person who is grateful for the things they own will care for them, enjoy them, and waste less energy seeking more. They will experience fulfillment in the gifts they already possess rather than looking outside themselves for more.
But we live in a culture that preaches discontent. A consumer culture will always attack gratitude—if they can sow discontent in our lives, they can sell us their new product line or latest version with new improvements.
In contrast, those who can find gratitude in their current existence will be less influenced by those empty promises.
How can we find gratitude in a world that seeks to destroy it?
1. Intentionally choose it. Gratitude will never be a result of your next purchase, success, or accomplishment. It is available in your heart right now. And you will never find gratitude in life until you intentionally decide to choose it.
2. Count your blessings. A new day, a warm bed, a loving spouse, a child in your life, a unique personality, or a special talent… You have wonderful things in your life already. Gratitude quickly sets in when we begin to spend a quiet moment each day remembering them. This practice alone has the potential to change your heart and life immeasurably.
3. Stop focusing on what you don’t have. Too many people never realize gratitude because they spend so much mental energy focused on what they don’t have. Throw away catalogs and advertisements that inevitably promise you more fulfillment and joy in life. Those things are not sold in stores—never have been, never will be.
4. Embrace humility. Humility is an essential ingredient in gratitude. A humble heart finds satisfaction in the gifts it already possesses and demands less from others and life. Remember that no matter what your accomplishments, your life contains no more inherent value than the person sitting next to you… no matter where you may be sitting.
5. Open your eyes to those with less. Almost half the world, over three billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day. 1.1 billion people have inadequate access to clean water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Let those facts sink in for just a moment—and slowly allow gratitude and a desire to become part of the solution to take their place.
6. Find gratitude in difficulty. It is easy to be grateful when things are going well. It can be more difficult during the trials of life: death, disease, rejection, or failure. The truth is that no one is exempt from the trials of life, but good can always be found in even the worst of times. And embracing gratitude during those trials may be the one thing that gets you through them.
In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy. And that gratefulness always leads to a satisfied, simplified life.
Debbie says
Excellent article! And thank you for the introduction to My Jowet!
Stephanie Otis says
So much truth in your words. Gratitude is what I have been focusing on this past year. It’s freeing to just be content and not looking for the next thing to bring happiness. I’m a work in progress.
Katharina Phillipus says
I have learnt alot from your article. Thank you
Mark says
I am a newbie to Gratitude. I wrote a gratitude journal for two weeks and even that small change has opened doors in my life. If at all possible i will try again and keep my journal going forward. Its so easy to get caught up in the rat race. Its hard to sit down and list all the positive things in our life but it actually brings so much good into our lives.
ren says
I am soooo grateful that I realized that it’s not possessions, its memories and experiences that count. while I am unpacking Xmas decor, I’m getting rid of more than I keep. a couple of times I had a lil twinge of regret, but bigger twinge if I would’ve put it back in storage.
Marilyn Allmon says
You can always gift them to someone in your life that you want to say “thank you” to; i.e. the mail delivery person,
bank teller, grocery clerk, pastor, bible study leader, a neighbor. Bringing joy into their life. Each time they look at the gift, they’ll think of you with gratitude.
ren says
I feel like I have the song from The Grinch by Faith Hill, Where are You Christmas? I have spirit in my heart but so many, this is just a money grab, a gift grab, an excuse to just spend more money thedont have.
I don’t know if its because of my new minialmist lifestyle or just commercialism is even more blatant than years past.
Shawn Rogers says
I had a near death experience last September. As the anniversary approaches I’ve been thinking a lot about how grateful I am and how the event has changed my view of things. This article is well timed for me. Thank you, I look forward to putting it into practice and I am grateful for your insights.
Melissa says
The greatest joy I have ever felt was from gratitude.
kris says
I like to start every day with a prayer of gratitude. “Thank You for waking me up on this Saturday, …”
mimi says
I am actually enjoying taking care of my home more since I don’t have as much to take care of. A little each day and I will get there!
Dennis Hamilton says
I so enjoy the posts on Facebook, I find myself translating them a lot to my Mexican family as daily inspirational messages. We are getting ready to relocate to the US from Mexico and am working diligently to drive the message you explain so well into their fiber before we hit the land of the consumer.
So, here is me giving you thanks for your great writing and superb advice, you stimulate my thinking as well in the business world to help my employees lead better quality of lives and spend more time with their families. Gracias amigo!