When we are feeling sorry for ourselves or unmotivated, a simple shift of focus can change the way we interpret and experience life. We can put problems – both real and perceived – into perspective by reminding ourselves, and being grateful for all that we already do have and all that we have accomplished along the way.
When you feel grateful and appreciative you are operating at a higher state of awareness that only leaves room for those thoughts and emotions that feel good. We all want the same thing – to feel good. Yet often we decide that we will only be able to feel good after certain predetermined conditions are met. What would our life be like if we could feel good regardless of external circumstances?
In most situations there is a good and a bad. Focusing on what you do not like only serves to keep you where you are. Bringing your attention to what is working, and finding aspects that you value and can appreciate, brings you to a higher state of well-being. Redirecting your focus does not mean that you should ignore the things in your life that are not working. Take notice of things that do not serve you but do not dwell in the feelings that keep you frustrated, stressed, and underwhelmed or overwhelmed. Bringing your attention to the good in your life can change your energy and the energy of your circumstance.
It is also important to recognize and express gratitude for the accomplishments you have made so far, and the opportunities that were made available to you to make your achievements possible. Not only does it remind you of what you accomplished and gained, but acknowledging that gifts were directed toward you and graciously accepting them positively influences the influx of similar opportunities. If you were thoughtful enough to give someone a gift and were not thanked, would you think the person was worthy enough to receive another gift? Similarly, why would the universe present you with further benefits if you did not express your thanks for the gifts you have already received.
Regardless of where we are, or what we may be doing, there is always something in our life worthy of our gratitude and appreciation. When you find the good in a less than ideal circumstance, it allows you to gain a new appreciation for your life. Appreciating life exactly as it is brings us into the energy of gratitude, allowing us to see and feel the blessings in our lives. As you find something to appreciate in your life, you feel better about your life. Every time you appreciate something and you feel good about it, you begin to open yourself to receive more of the things that you are grateful for.
Practicing gratitude in even the most troublesome of situations can open you to the energy to find your way to a better feeling. When you are in a state of gratitude your resistance to all that would make you feel good melts away. Even when the external conditions are less than ideal, you can put yourself in the position to find your way to a better feeling by appreciating what is working in your life.
“When you fully appreciate everything as it is, without judgment, you may find yourself in awe of the brilliance and perfection that is your life” – Dr. Julie Doobay
Copyright Dr. Julie Doobay 2018
