gratitude – Page 3 – Spirituality & Healing

Reblog: Grateful teens

Published on November 15, 2012 by lindseybiggs1 Comment

It’s not about the money.

A recent study focused on the effect of gratitude on teenagers. There are a lot of reasons teens are grateful. And being rich isn’t necessarily one of them. Similarly, there are plenty of reasons teens might act as if they had a gratitude deficit. Being poor doesn’t necessarily seem to be one of them.

The study suggests that regardless of a teenager’s socioeconomic background, he or she can experience the benefits of a grateful heart, including the benefit of better mental health. Through a few changes in outlook, attitude, and behavior, he or she can make big gains on the gratitude front. Teens who are the most grateful find a number of benefits multiplying. Such as? Things like improved academic performance, a sense of purpose, more hope, and more happiness. As these take root, they grow more common to a teen’s outlook and more natural to his or her life. On the flip side, things like hopelessness or depression – which are at times linked to suicide in teens – grow less prevalent. Read more

A gratitude attitude & my grandparents

Published on October 8, 2012 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

I find thinking of others and feeling grateful so healing.

I’ve been thinking of my grandparents recently. They are moving to a senior community tomorrow about a half hour away from their current home. My aunt has been so kind in finding a place for them, making the arrangements and taking care of the move.

I admire and am so grateful for the way my family looks out for one another. This move affects all of us particularly because “Grandma’s house” has been the place that our family has congregated since I was a child. Over the past several years, though, we have all seen how much upkeep a large house takes and that all of the “stuff” they have accumulated or saved for us isn’t really necessary for any of us. I’m grateful for the freedom they will find in their new apartment, and for the community and activity they will get to enjoy.

I’m trusting in God that there can’t be any loss from their move. For example, we have other relatives homes where we can all get together for the holidays. I know that God prepares a place and makes radiant room for each of us. God takes care of all the details. Trusting all the accommodations to God leaves my family in the prime position of witnessing God’s love and blessings for all of us, without stress or worry.

As I mentioned in the beginning, being grateful and thinking of others is healing. As I focus my thought more on my family, the world and other loved ones, I become more grateful – more aware of good. These thoughts naturally bless my home, family, body, and experience. These are just the wonderful side-effects – or spiritual law – of thinking of others and feeling grateful.

So, if you’re feeling down today, open your thought to gratitude. It is sure to brighten your day.

By the way, Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Day!

Thoughts on gratitude

Published on April 20, 2012April 19, 2012 by lindseybiggsLeave a comment

I really appreciate the blog series my husband is doing right now. It is inspired by a book that we are both reading for our book club: 365 Thank Yous. It’s a wonderful story about a man/dad who is down in the dumps; his business is falling apart; his relationships with his family & friends aren’t great. One day he gets the idea (I would call this a spiritual idea, “angel” message or the Christ) which tells him to write thank you notes! It’s New Years Eve when he gets this message so he vows to write 365 thank you notes in the New Year. The rest of the book (which I haven’t finished yet) is about how this practice transforms his thought, life and relationships.

It is a delightful book. I get such a sense of joy when reading it, and it reminds me how the simple act of gratitude can really brighten my day. I may even start a “thank you” note project of my own! (My husband is doing his thank you note project on his blog.)

What is it about gratitude that makes us feel so light and joyful? It reminds us of the good in our lives and puts Good at the forefront of thought. The human mind is so prone to magnify evil or the negative. Often this mind ruminates over the past. It’s like a treadmill of worry and fear. Apparently, humans think 2,000-3,000 thoughts per day. And I’ve heard that 70% of these thoughts are the same each day. We have to jump off this same old treadmill of thought and think differently! And gratitude is a fun, light way to do that.