We are often told so many times to express gratitude towards people for their kind gestures meted to us. This is a good thing to do always.
And it is commonly said that one who is appreciated would always want to do more which is very true and so we ought to show gratitude always.
On the hand, being appreciative and thankful is one major way to live a healthy and happy life which in turn leads to longevity.
But what is less talked about is self gratitude. You hardly hear people talk about self gratitude or people being encouraged to practice self gratitude.
For as often as you express gratitude to others, also learn to show yourself or express gratitude to yourself every now and then.
If people fail to appreciate you, appreciate yourself. In fact, you don't need to wait for people to appreciate you for you before you know your self-worth.
Often times, when you do a good job or probably hit a target for an organisation you may not get a feedback or a clap for a job well done from whomever you did the job for and this can be demoralizing but why wait when only you can give yourself the best positive feedback which is self gratitude.
You need to adopt the attitude of self gratitude each day of your life. One thing I do each day when I'm home after the close of work is to think back on what was achieved during the day, thank God for it and give myself a positive nod for for the little goals achieved during the day.
See, no matter how small or insignificant what you achieved for the day might be, be proud of those little wins and give yourself a pat on the back for that little win.
Practicing self gratitude each day builds your confidence, keeps you motivated and inspires you to want to do more each day.
It makes you feel like every day of your life is worth the move, like you are making progress towards hitting the major goal you set for yourself.
In practicing self gratitude, you recognize and appreciate your values, unique qualities, character strength and potentials.
People sometimes fail to express self gratitude because they in most times feel it's a vain thing to do. This is not about praising yourself or bragging about your achievements to others.
You need not shout it on the roof tops but something you can always do privately and personally. Quietly acknowledging your efforts and celebrating your little wins.
There are those who also fail to express gratitude because they feel unappreciated by others. Without the validation of others, they feel they worth nothing.
WAYS TO EXPRESS SELF GRATITUDE.
1. GRATITUDE TO GOD : Your gratitude in all things and in every ramification should first go to God because without Him, you can of yourself do nothing.
Only Him empowers you to accomplish all you set out to do ( Philippians 4:13). So your gratitude should always go to God first.
2. LOOK BACK : Sometimes, you need to pause and look back and see how far you have come especially when you had no one help you but God .
Take a look at some of the hurdles you crossed, the challenges you overcame and the victories won that helped brought you this far.
3. HAVE A DAILY TO DO LIST : One major way to express self gratitude is having a to do list daily. This is one thing that has helped me much.
Let's say for instance, I have a write up I want to finish, because it's on my to do list, it becomes a goal for me for that day.
I probably may go half way or start putting points together for it, and not finish it at the end of the day but for me it becomes something to be grateful for even if I did not finish it but took steps.
Now, whether I finish it or not, the mere fact that something was done on it gives me a feeling of self gratitude that I did something to a large extent and this gives me a sense of fulfillment.
Knowing you accomplished a set task for the day makes you feel great, happy and fulfilled for that and this enables you express self gratitude with a grin on your face.
4. USE OF DAILY MANTRAS : Having daily mantras and using them like a routine goes a long way in helping you achieve some difficult tasks.
Each day I wake up and pray, in it I say today is going to be a great day, its going to be a productive day, its going to be a fruitful day.
These are some positive mantras I use daily before setting out for the day and they also set me up for the challenges ahead and they sure help me surmount challenges.
And at the end of the day, I am grateful for using the above mentioned mantras that encouraged me to accomplish a set goal or task.
5. CELEBRATE YOUR WINS : Irrespective of how insignificant what you achieved at the end of the day might be, learn to celebrate it.
Cultivate the habit of celebrating your little wins. It is by taking baby steps each day we reach a larger goal.
So, when you fail to recognize and celebrate the little things achieved you would hardly reach the big goal because you are already demoralized.
Learn to have a journal of every step taken, accomplished and go through them at the end of the day. This way, you would see every need to be grateful for you and the unusual strength given to you by God to accomplish every set task.
6. REWARD YOURSELF : Rewarding yourself as a form of self gratitude does not necessarily mean, you spend lavishly on yourself or go partying.
There are simple ways in rewarding one's self such as taking a walk, resting, treating yourself to a nice cold shower, taking few minutes break, a cup of tea, coffee or juice, taking a day off, taking a look at yourself in the mirror and grateful for what was achieved etc.
Rewarding yourself will surely make you feel great, appreciative as well as happy making you live a healthier life.
THE POWER OF SELF GRATITUDE
Self gratitude reminds you of your own strength and abilities. helps you build your confidence. It motivates you to keep going despite the hurdles.
It improves your health mentally, physically and psychologically leading to a healthy long life. You live a happier life as a result of self gratitude.
Self gratitude gives you peace of mind, helps you sleep better and frees you from every form of anxiety or depression. Appreciating your little wins takes off the stress of wanting to achieve the larger goal.
These and many more are what self gratitude can do for us when we practice them daily. You see, self gratitude is more like self love and self care. It shows you care about yourself and well being.
Quote for the day - "Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." - Eckart Tolle
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