Build a thankful mind and a grateful heart

Some years ago I was searching for ways to build a more resilient mind. I wanted to cope better with my stress and cultivate positivity during challenging times. One of the easiest and most powerful strategies I found was cultivating a grateful heart.

For me cultivating a grateful heart goes beyond being grateful for the positive things in my life. That is just one of the things you can do. A grateful heart is about finding gratitude to everything in your life.

Having a daily focus on gratitude enhances well being, happiness, joy, and resilience. For me, it has brought a sense of positivity and hope when I deal with challenges and personal struggles. It ‘s like having pink glasses and everywhere you look things seem pink.

My mind likes to focus on the negative and sometimes I find it difficult to see the positive when I feel offended. I find it challenging when I feel like I have been treated unfairly. When something positive happens to you and you say thank you, it’s easy to be grateful. But what about when you feel hurt, frustrated and upset with someone.

I have found that in the middle of the situation, it could be hard to see the positive. I like to wait until I’m calm. I then reflect on my struggle and journal the experience. When I journal, I ask myself one or more of the following questions :

1. How can I turn this negative experience into a positive one?

2. Can I put myself in the same shoes as the person who hurt me?

3. What can I learn?

4. How can I find gratitude here?

One quote

“Cultivate a grateful heart. Appreciate everything in your life. Go beyond the gifts and blessings. Find the positive in the negative.”
-Tamy Khan

One question

Can you find gratitude in a frustration that happened to you today?