It Starts with Gratitude
Too many times we hijack our own journey of success by not expressing our thankfulness for what we already have. No matter what our situations in lives, we all have so much to be grateful for. It’s the attitude of gratitude that really gets things rolling in a more positive and successful direction. As you learn to express gratitude on a daily basis, you’ll find along the way that you’re also much happier and content — gratitude and unhappiness mix about as well as oil and water.
"We are twice armed when we move forward with faith." – PLATO
From the audio program, what is the perfect recipe? Gratitude, combined with ______ and ______.
How does the act of gratitude play into creativity vs. competitiveness?
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"So often, happiness is tied down to a physical result ... "Once I have this, I will be happy ... Once I achieve this, I will feel successful ..." Don't you understand? Your life is better now. You already have so much to be grateful for.” – DR. AGARWAL
EXERCISE #1: THE ART OF “THANK YOU”
In North America, the term “thank you” is certainly a nice gesture but it’s actually over-used. We’ve been programmed since we were children (“What do you say? ...”) that we must say thank you at every turn and it has, as a result, watered down the actual thankfulness behind the spoken words.
Here’s an exercise to implement in the week ahead. Make a commitment to this for just 7 days and you’ll discover it’s an easy and wonderful activity to keep carrying forward:
Make a habit to SINCERELY thank at least 3 people per day. Also, make sure you let them know WHY you’re thankful to them. To begin this exercise, make a list of people who have influenced you or done something for you in your personal or professional life. Then, write: Why did you think of their name? What about their actions has impacted you?
| Name | Why I thought of this person? | Contacted ✅ |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ||
| 2. | ||
| 3. | ||
| 4. | ||
| 5. |
EXERCISE #2: DIAL
All right. You’ve made your list. You’re not done yet. Now, pick up the phone and personally call at least two people a day to thank them for whatever reason you put them on the list. (If you hesitate at doing this, just imagine how you would feel if someone were to call you and do the same. It would make your day!) Before you hang up, ask each person if there’s anything you can do for him or her.
EXERCISE #3: THE SHIFT
As you complete this exercise, you’re going to start feeling and thinking differently. Take a few moments to record those thoughts here:
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