Do you count your blessings, or are you always in your feelings about your problems? When life gets chaotic and stressful, sometimes it can be really hard to find the light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s the thing, when you understand how to count your blessings, it can seriously improve your state of happiness. There are so many things to be grateful for. Even on those crazy days when things get really challenging.
In fact, it’s so much more inspiring and meaningful when you find a glimmer of light in those tough times.Look for things in your day that speaks to you in a positive way. They will cause you to feel encouraged and motivated.
Just the fact that you woke up this morning is plenty to be grateful for because it’s another chance at life. Having a place you can call home and food to eat, that’s another source of gratitude right there.
Consider yourself fortunate if you can experience the beautiful sunshine. Whether it’s just to see it even better to soak up some of it.
Counting your blessings and not your problems is more powerful than you know.
What Does Count Your Blessings Mean?
Count your Blessings in essence is, when you recognise and have an appreciation for the good things in your life.
It’s about you being grateful for and showing your happiness and contentment for what you have, even on the not-so-good days.
Even if you’re like me and have a positive outlook on life, we all know there are still going to be some tough days.On those extremely difficult days, you might have to dig deeper to maintain a positive outlook.
The fact is, you and I both gravitate to something that we can benefit from. This is the same way with being thankful.
Gratitude is something that you have to practice on a regular basis and the more you work at it the better you’ll get at showing it and reaping its many benefits.
Not to dismiss your challenges, but instead of complaining think of how good you have it. Think about the good things in your life and be grateful for them.
Benefits Of Counting Your Blessings And Not Your Problems
There are tons of benefits when you practice counting your blessings on a regular basis. Being grateful for your blessings can improve your emotional well-being.
If you find yourself in a stank mood, recognise and appreciate even one small good thing in your life, can be really significant. The fact is, how you think impacts how you feel as well as your attitude.
Once you begin to realize how important it is, then you’ll know that it’s crucial to develop a mindset of thankfulness.
1. Improves Your Physical and Mental Health
Being thankful can have a positive effect on your physical and mental well-being. It can affect your physical and mental health in a positive way.
According to research, it boosts the state of your energy, improves the quality of your sleep and puts you in a calm frame of mind.
It can also help to lower your anger level and cause you to be more compassionate to other people. Not to mention that it helps you to get a better night’s rest.
It will be a big help to your confidence and self-esteem as it helps to strengthen them.
2. Helps You To Be More Resilient
A study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology shows that counting your blessings on a regular basis can increase your feelings of positivity. And, can even boost mood and help you to maintain happiness and contentment in the long run.
Those who participated in the study who reflected regularly on what they were thankful for were more contented and joyful than those who didn’t express thankfulness.
You’ll find that you can face setbacks and you’ll develop a more positive attitude. No doubt, you’ll become more mentally tough, adaptable, and resistant.
3. Helps To Reduce Stress
When your body is under stress it produces cortisol also known as the stress hormone.
Studies show that when your body makes too much of this hormone it drains your immune system. Not only that, it also raises your blood sugar levels.
Counting your blessings can help to reduce stress. It also helps improve your perspective on life, helps you to feel less frustrated, and not dwell on regrets. When you appreciate what you have it can make you feel a whole lot more upbeat, hopeful and content.
This also contributes to boosting your confidence and self-esteem.
4. Builds Better Relationships
Being thankful helps you to improve and strengthen your relationships. When you’re grateful for the people that matter most in your life it’s often returned.
Shared thankfulness for one another contributes to your building of better relationships. This usually leads to solid, meaningful relationships.
If you’re less focused on all the trappings of wealth, then you’ll be able to put more time, energy and focus on what you have all around you, right in front of your eyes.
How To Count Your Blessings
Expressing appreciation for your blessings at first may not come easy to you. But there are so many ways that you can include it in your daily routine and gradually make it a practice.
Get into the habit of thinking about what you’re grateful for each day, and if it seems a bit too much for you, you don’t even have to journal.
Just taking a few moments each day is all you need to start adding this new practice to your everyday life.
When you get up at the start of your day and when you’re winding down before you hit the sack and before you know it you’ll easily recognize the blessings that are all around you.
To help you kick off your journey to counting your blessings here are some tips to help make it a habit.
Ease Into It
If you want to cultivate any habit it’s going to take time. So, the best way to go about it is to ease slowly into it.
Start with small steps. That way you’ll put less pressure on yourself or that way you will not put pressure on yourself and you’ll be more prepared and motivated to improve on it / improving as time progress.
Just appreciating the fact that you woke up this morning is a great place to start. Sometimes being thankful for small blessings can have a great impact on you throughout the day.
It could be as simple as paying attention to and appreciate the beauty in nature every day. Take notice of the good things in your life and really focus your attention on those things. Recognise, value and enjoy them.
Future Payback
In some instances, all you need is one tiny push to trigger a significant change. Taking the time to be thankful for even just one thing in your life today can improve your state of mind, even if only a tad bit.
In doing so, you may realise that some of your pressure has been lifted off and leave you feeling less anxious.
Don’t let go of that feeling and see whether there’s a boost to your outlook that is better and more positive after thinking about what you’re grateful for. Even if you do this just once a day.
As long as this lifts your spirit, puts you in a better mood and improves your way of thinking and affects/impacts your attitude in a positive way.
Give it a shot, when you start to count your blessings instead of your problems, you may find it way more valuable and beneficial than you ever imagined.
Include It In Your Routine
A great way to work on your new habit of gratitude is to incorporate it into your current daily routine. It doesn’t matter what your schedule is like whether morning or night just take a few moments to think about what you’re grateful for, at least three things.
While sipping on your lemon water or cup of coffee would also be a great time to add prayer and meditation when being thankful.
They are easy to add to the mix and are very effective in situations where you feel stressed out and overwhelmed.
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Use Visible Prompts
If it turns out that you keep forgetting this new pursuit, then try adding some visible reminders.
You can even use affirmations written on post-it notes to help you with this. Stick one on your phone. Add another one to your kitchen cupboard or on your fridge.
Post another one on your mirror and dressing table, dining table, bedside lamp, just about any area that is convenient for you and where you can easily spot them.
Another good strategy is to set a reminder whether on your clock or phone. Set your reminder for both the morning time and in the evening, so that it can help to nudge you to take time to appreciate what makes you grateful.
Positive Outlook
Instead of being stressed by your problems look at the positive side. Rather than looking at the glass half empty, turn it around and transform it to optimism.
You may get out of bed feeling a bit out of sorts and just don’t want to go into the office today. But you can lift your mood by giving yourself a gentle reminder that, first off, you’re alive!
Secondly, that you’re sheltered from the elements. Because you have a roof over your head and not to mention you have food to eat.
Always try to look at the upside of your gloomy, negative situations. It can really make a big difference.
Journalling
A good practice to get into is to write things down as they occur on a daily basis. Writing is a powerful part of the process.
One of the most effective ways of developing an attitude of thankfulness is by keeping a gratitude journal.
You don’t have to dedicate a lot of time or write a whole paragraph, all it takes is a few moments. Just write down what you’re thankful for now.
Try to write down at least three things for the day. If you only have one, that’s still okay! You can think about them when you’re winding down for bed.
Starting a practice of recognizing and appreciating the good things you have going on in your life isn’t hard to do at all. A handful of little tweaks to your daily routine makes it a breeze to form this habit.
What Are The Blessings In Life?
Besides being grateful for the good things in your life, when you share your expression of appreciation with others it can also have a huge impact.
Giving someone a personal note can truly make someone’s day. This small gesture of positive encouragement can have a ripple effect.
In such a busy world you get absorbed with yourself and the responsibilities you face every day. It’s so easy to forget to recognise the positives in your life and to show your appreciation to the people who matter to you. Don’t take them for granted.
Here are a few everyday blessings you may have glossed over.
- Life
- Good health
- Protection
- Prayer
- Sleep
- Teachers
- Guidance
- Freedom
- Jobs
- Parents
- Love
- Family
- Friends
- Food
- Water
- Clothes
- House
- Challenges
- Laughter
- Workout
Conclusion On Count Your Blessings Not Your Problems
It’s so easy to pay attention to the negative things instead of counting your blessings. But let’s change things up. Start to focus on appreciation and thankfulness.
Take a moment to spot just one thing in your day that you’re thankful for. Maybe it won’t make a difference in your life right away but, it’s a significant step towards the path of gratefulness. The truth of the matter is, it’s a snowball effect – your thoughts impact both your emotions and your attitude.
When you inject positive thinking and statements in your day-to-day life in a consistent manner, you’re able to absorb and adopt them, putting them into practice and making them a part of your life.
Don’t get caught up in negativity. You can break out of this cycle by purposefully and deliberately working to embrace your challenges, and look for the light at the end of the tunnel all the while expressing gratitude.
How do you count your blessings? Comment below!
