What is Gratitude? Gratitude is the quality of being thankful or recognizing the good things in our lives. Gratitude can be directed toward people, circumstances, or even abstract concepts.
What if we were to practice gratitude in all of our circumstances? Or in even the smallest things? What if we allowed gratitude to guide our actions? Let's see what the power of extreme gratitude can do!
Tips for Practicing Extreme Gratitude
- Maintain a Gratitude Journal: Dedicate a few minutes daily to write down things you're grateful for.
- Express Gratitude to Others: Regularly express gratitude to people in your life.
- Mindful Reflection: Spend time each day reflecting on what you're thankful for.
- Gratitude in Challenges: This doesn't mean ignoring hardships but recognizing that even tough times can offer lessons for growth.
- Volunteer and Give Back: Volunteering can enhance feelings of gratitude for what you have and the opportunity to help others.
- Avoid Comparisons: Focus on your life and blessings rather than comparing yourself with others.
- Take Action: If you're grateful for what you've been given, don't squander it. Live with purpose.
What is Extreme Gratitude?
Extreme gratitude is more than just appreciating the good things in life. That's part of it, but extreme gratitude is about being thankful for every aspect of our lives. The challenges and the hardship. Successes and failures. Every aspect of our experience, from the most significant to the smallest.
The Difference Between Gratitude and Extreme Gratitude
While Gratitude may be appreciative, extreme gratitude is a much bigger mindset. It encourages us to be thankful for even the most minor things.
For me, it started by just allowing myself to understand the blessing of indoor plumbing—hot and cold running showers.
What a luxury and convenience it might seem to other parts of the world. But we have this as a general feature.
Extreme gratitude will shift your perception of the world from scarcity to abundance, no matter your circumstances.
Ultimately, extreme gratitude will lead to a more purpose-driven life because it is more than a feeling. Extreme gratitude will lead to action.
The Benefits of Living with Extreme Gratitude
Practicing extreme gratitude will change your life.
Studies show that it will improve mental health by increasing life satisfaction and significantly decreasing depressive symptoms. 1
Practicing extreme gratitude helps develop a stronger mindset to face life's challenges. Even in times of stress, optimism helps to cope with and overcome adversity.
Extreme gratitude can transform our relationships. When we appreciate our loved ones for who they are, we can better empathize with their point of view. This is one area where we can create a positive feedback loop. As our relationships are strengthened, our gratitude grows. 2
It also boosts creativity and productivity in our personal and work lives. It helps us appreciate the present moment and have a more positive perspective.
Stumbling Blocks to Extreme Gratitude
One of the most common blocks to extreme gratitude is comparing ourselves to others. Especially in the social media environment we find ourselves in, comparison is truly the thief of joy.
Social media is used as the highlight reel of a person's life, and when you don't measure up, it can be the cause of anxiety and depression. 3 Forget that, usually, these things are highly idealized fictions created to make money; they can damage a person's self-worth.
When people focus on their perceived lack rather than their abundance, negative thoughts steal their energy and joy.
Overcoming The Obstacles
When facing stumbling blocks to extreme gratitude, facing them head-on is important.
You can overcome these obstacles by reframing your circumstances more positively.
Make a conscious effort to recognize and appreciate the everyday blessings you might overlook. This could be as simple as being thankful for a comfortable bed, a delicious meal, or a sunny day.
Learn to practice mindfulness and stop comparing yourself to others. Your competition is you. Be better than you were yesterday, and make each day count.
Turning Gratitude Into Action
Now that all the groundwork has been laid, it's time to get to the heart of extreme gratitude. Action!
Extreme gratitude involves recognizing and utilizing the blessings we have.
If you're grateful for a healthy body, prove it by maintaining and improving your physical fitness.
If you're thankful for a functioning brain, train it and use it to achieve worthy goals.
If you've been blessed with family, don't take them for granted but invest time and energy in them.
If you're born in a free country, don't take that gift for granted but preserve it for future generations.
Extreme gratitude focuses on the things we take for granted and grounds us with true appreciation. We've all been gifted in some way, let's not waste those gifts by allowing them to stagnate. Extreme gratitude is about taking actions that reflect our thankfulness.
What are you grateful for?
Are You Ready For Extreme Gratitude?
Embracing a mindset of extreme gratitude is not just about acknowledging the good in our lives. It's about demonstrating our appreciation through our actions and decisions.
It's a commitment to being grateful in word and deed – a commitment that transforms our potential into tangible achievements and helps us to make every day better!