If you're on the journey of becoming a happier person, you'd know for sure that being grateful is one of the key things to gaining that happiness.
Now, it's pretty easy to think that being grateful is all about showing gratitude and giving thanks to whatever it is you have in life, but there's more to it than that.
To put it simply, grateful people do things a certain way. They have several habits, characteristics and even things that make them stand out.
And if you were to give them a shot, I'm sure it'd make a big difference in your life.
Here's 7 life-defining things grateful people have
1) A gratitude journal
A gratitude journal is where a grateful person jots down what he or she is grateful for in life. Not only is this a way to express oneself, but doing so would help alleviate your mood and even decrease symptoms of depression. If you think about it, it's a good way to allow the positive thoughts to stand out, especially when you're having a bad day.
As a blogger, I'd say that writing alone helps to create inspiration from within. Whether you're expressing your positive or negative thoughts, it doesn't matter. You'll go to a better place.
2) They openly show gratitude to their loved ones
This is something a lot of us tend to overlook. We kind of take it for granted that we're grateful for the people around us, so we don't bother to tell them we're thankful, happy or that we even love them.
But grateful people do it differently. They let it be known! They tell their loved ones how happy and thankful they are for having them in their life.
So try it out. Write a letter. Pick up that phone. Create a text. Leave a note on their wall. This is how you relive the awesome moment again and again.
3) They're in the present moment
That means to say, they've let go of the past and do not hold high expectations of the future.
Doing any of the above may make you miss out on the good stuff happening right in front of you and hence, you'd miss out on opportunities that could make a big difference for your life.
So let go of the past. It doesn't exist any more. Stop anticipating so much too. Embrace uncertainty, then live in the moment.
4) They meditate
Expanding on the idea of being present in the moment, grateful people practice mindfulness through meditation too.
A simple definition of meditation is the ability to quiet your mind and to give yourself space. Yup. Grateful people take time out of their lifestyle to be alone; be mindful of life outside of routine.
So give yourself that space and silence. You'd be surprised with the new insights that come in your life when you're not busy with life.
5) They practice abundance
Abundance is one of the key concepts when it comes to success and happiness. Grateful people know that as they keep focusing on the greatness of life, not the lack.
To take a very common example, grateful people would focus on how there's enough money to go around in the world and not how their life sucks because they think they don't have enough.
Flip the switch in your life. Shift the focus on how there the various, many things out there waiting for you rather than what you think you lack. It'll go a long way.
6) They are surrounded by positive people only
Grateful people know how important it is to be in a good environment, so they only stick to people who they know can lift them up, inspire them and make them happy all the time.
You see, gratitude and happiness are pretty easy to share. That's how people are always willing to bless each other. Do yourself a favour today and start being with people who can lift you up. Dump the toxic people.
7) They expect nothing in return
Or rather, they do things out of passion and compassion. They want to spread the love and make this world a better place. They know that life is good and that they'd be able to enjoy the same kind of love in time.
So start being grateful. Just start, and give it a whirl. A good life can happen for you. Lower that expectation and you'd be surprised with the different, various things that can make you happy.
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Bio:
Alden Tan keeps it real at his blog and writes about motivation in unconventional ways. His two main passions are Bboying and writing. Check out his free report, 12 Things Happy People Don’t Give a F**k About! The post 7 Life-Defining Things Grateful People Have appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.