An Attitude of Gratitude...

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul"
- Henry Ward Beecher

I posted the picture above on my Instagram at the beginning of the year and asked my followers a question: "what is your word for the year?"

As you can obviously guess from the title, mine is gratitude. And while it may seem like a relatively easy one I can tell you now it definitely isn't, especially in a social climate like the one we're living in right now.

I'm not exactly sure when it happened but I stopped writing down resolutions for the year.🤔 Not cause I was boycotting them or anything, but just cause by the time the end of the first quarter came round most of those resolutions had been broken or done away with. And that was quite disheartening. So instead, I decided to go with a theme or a phrase that would help direct my year and encourage me to apply it to all the things that I attempted or went through in the process of it. And I can tell you now that it's definitely changed how I live. 😄

Last year's word was Intentional and boy was I intentional in the things I did. Whether it was being intentional about my relationship with God, or my relationship with other people in my life, how I spent my time and even being intentional about not complaining about school.😂 It helped change my perspective, it directed both my steps & my decision making and it helped me grow as a person. So as I reflected on my year throughout the year (you don't have to wait till it's done to reflect) and saw how helpful it had been to have that theme, I then helped me realise what I needed for this year's one.

Now listen, just because I picked this specific word as my theme doesn't mean I was an ungrateful person hey. 

No, on the contrary.🙅🏾‍♀️ I was one of those people who would easily list all the big things in my life that I was super grateful for. My problem was when it came to the little and hard things. Like when things were tough it was so easy to forget to be grateful because I couldn't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel despite knowing full well that God would always work things out for His glory and for my good (because I love Him and have been called unto His purpose -Romans 8:28). 🙈 I really was struggling to give thanks in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and I knew that for me to grow even more intimate with God, that had to change. Hence my decision.

It's only month 3 of 12 and I can tell you that everyday gratitude is not easy but man is it worth it!😍 And so here are a couple of tips for someone, like me, who is trying to be more grateful every day. 

• Take it to God.🙇🏾‍♀️🙏🏾 

This is an obvious one, neh? And it's the most important one. Cause who else can teach you how to be grateful than the author of gratitude Himself? It is a fruit of His spirit and He is more than willing to help cultivate it in you if only you just ask.

• Get help🏃🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️ 

Having someone you're accountable to when you're working towards something will always make the journey easier because when you slip up, they'll be there to help you get back up and encourage you.👫🏾👭🏾

• Do a devotional plan 📖

I cannot tell just you how helpful this is. 

See you might not always have the verses on your fingertips or the will power that day to do what you have to do but there's something having a devotional and hearing about other people's journeys that just spurs you on. 🤩 The YouVersion Bible app has sooooo many options you can choose from plus you can do group devotion with your friends and get encouragement from them. 

These are a couple I did:

21 Days To Cultivate A Grateful Heart (http://bible.com/r/3mB)

Grace & Gratitude: Live Fully In His Grace (http://bible.com/r/4Dj)

Practicing Gratitude (http://bible.com/r/4M6)

• Practice being grateful every day.🗓

It's easier said than done in the beginning but once you get into the habit of it you won't be able to go without it. When you practice gratitude, you shift rhe focus from what's missing in your life to the blessings right in front of you. Remember, you don't have to go all the way outside the box, start with the little things. 😉

• Make a gratitude journal/jar/box 🎁📒

Definitely the most fun/creative step. This will not only help you be accountable to yourself but when you're feeling low and need to count your blessings it'll definitely come in handy. 

Plus it goes hand in hand with the step above. 😅

• Tell people in your life the things you are grateful for them for. 🥰
(1 Thessalonians 1:2&3)

You know that warm fuzzy feeling you get when someone says thank you for something you did or even just tells you how much they appreciate your place in their lives? 🥺 Yes, go spread that feeling to other people. Not only will it put a smile on their faces but it'll brighten up your whole day too.😊

• Let people know what you're grateful for.🔊🙌🏾

Last, but certainly not the least because gratitude inspires even more gratitude. It's contagious. (Psalms 9:1)

I hope this helps you be even more grateful than you are right now and that you count every single one of the blessings that are coming your way in the rest of the year ahead.🤗

Also, please let me know what your word or phrase for the year is and how you're incorporating it into your every day life. I'd love to be encouraged by you. 😁

Bisous

x