Choose To Be Thankful
Guest post by Julia Osovskaya
I am a big believer in the idea of being the master of your own happiness. And I also believe in the power of words and thoughts. What we say and think shapes how we see this world and creates what we get out of our life experience. And even though you may not be paying much attention to how you express these thoughts of yours, it seems your brain or someone out there does. The words you use to describe your emotions and ideas can actually change your perspective on a given situation and maybe even change your outlook on life in the long run.
Just like choosing the “right” kind of words to say can help you be more successful in life, saying the “right” words can also help you notice the good in your life and get happier as a result of such positive thinking. I can admit that watching what I say has helped me a lot with my own journey to a happier me.
For instance, it helps to replace “but” with “and” to put yourself in a more positive frame of mind.
If you watch yourself or others carefully, you’ll notice that “but” comes up a lot in daily conversations. Sometimes it’s irreplaceable, but oftentimes it just sets you up for a negative experience. A lot of times we say “but” when we try to justify our actions or prepare a person we’re conversing with to hear something less than pleasant. “I appreciate you doing this, but I’m afraid I can’t…” immediately speaks of something a person would most probably not be thrilled to hear. However, if you choose to put it slightly differently – “I appreciate you doing this, and I need to say I’m not able to…” – a conversation has a chance of becoming a positive experience for everyone involved even if one refuses something that another person offers. Yes, it might sound a little bit out of place, and I would bet you’d be surprised if I told you it actually worked.
Another thing you can do is replace a negative word with a positive synonym. Or even choose to add “not” before a positive antonym.
Doing so helps you put yourself in a better mood and look at things from a more positive point of view. When you say “It’s so hard to…” you focus your attention on the fact that you might not be able to handle a situation. You don’t make it any easier for yourself and instead put barriers on your way to achieving your goal. Try phrasing it differently and say “It’s not so easy to…” Don’t you feel it giving you hope of success immediately?
I also noticed a lot of us can easily smile at little positive moments in life. Unconsciously. It’s when we put our minds into emotional matters that we prevent ourselves from enjoying the simplest of things and over-think them. This is not to say that we don’t need to approach our positive feelings consciously. We all want to be happy and so many of us are looking for things that will help us be it. My point is, how about we start with smaller things that are already here? Say “I’m glad” and believe it instead of faking “I’m happy” when you’re not.
It’s when gratitude comes in handy. Not all are comfortable with saying “I am thankful for this and this”. Some don’t feel it and don’t feel like faking it, and some are just not sure where to start and whether what they feel about something is a feeling of true gratitude. I remember in the beginning of my own thanksgiving journey I wasn’t even always sure how I were to find what I was thankful for.
Then I’ve noticed one thing - “I’m glad” replaces “I’m thankful” the best. If you’re glad to see someone or feeling glad that it’s a good day, it’s this “beginner level” feeling of gratitude. With time you notice the things you’re glad to have and experience more and more, then gladness becomes the feeling of appreciation and being thankful suddenly turns into “I’m feeling happy” when you least expect it. You suddenly feel it. You say it and you believe your own words because through practice it somehow becomes your reality.
Try it. Being thankful is a choice, so choose to be thankful. Choose to be more positive. Choose to be happy.
Julia Osovskaya is a thankful spirit who believes that positive thinking, optimistic attitude and thankful mindset go a long way. Having completed a personal blog challenge of giving thanks daily for 365 days in a row, she has made it a mission to spread the word about life transformational power of gratitude. In addition to being a thankful person, Julia writes for blogs about chair design and all things golden and works in the social media marketing.
