When it comes to gratitude we often don't take the opportunity to use it in our everyday language. If you focus on what is wrong in your life, you will feel sad, unempowered and like you have no control over your life. But you do. You control most things in your life and the language that you use can direct how your life goes.
Here are some simple examples; instead of saying I'm scared or nervous, try using the word excited instead. It's all the same feelings taking place so put a positive spin on it. Or when something goes wrong and your go to is, I have the worst luck. Try saying, it can only go up from here or it's better than the alternative. Which would be not being alive at all. Or just in general, if you are a life sucks type of person...just flip it to life is an adventure. To truly be grateful you have to break it down to being grateful for every little thing in your life. Being thankful for all the things you have always taken for granted. It seems silly at first but I promise you, it is so powerful. This will be the start of your transformation.
I mentioned a little while back my idea for a journal targeting pessimists like my former self. My idea is to write down a situation that didn't go your way. And then write down anything that you can be grateful about in that situation. Here is an example. You get a flat tire on the way to work. What can you be grateful for in that situation? It depends on how you took care of the problem. You can be grateful you have roadside assistance. You can be grateful you know how to change a tire. You can be grateful you have someone to call to come and help you. You can be grateful that now you know you should get roadside assistance. Or the bare minimum, you can be grateful you have a car to begin with. Does it make sense. You can do this with just about any situation in your life. Even if you can't be grateful for what happened, you can be grateful for the solution or what you learned from the situation.
Start paying attention to the words you use. Use words that enhance your life and make you feel empowered. Stay away from words that make you feel helpless and like a victim. You have the control. You have to put in the work to flip this dialogue though. It will be very difficult at first. But once you start paying attention, you will realize how often you use negative words to describe your world. Then stop yourself. After you get in the habit of stopping this language, you can begin replacing it with words that show your gratitude and control in this thing we call life.
Hump day already! Just take notice of the words you use today and see how often you are being grateful vs. seeing all the negative. Now, go out there and be your badass self. You know I'm cheering you on.
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