Finding happiness in little things! #5 Gratitude and banning the negative!

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gratitude is my attitude and I am proud to say that! For me, it comes easily to be thankful for the good in my life because I chose to focus on the better and not the bad. 

Easier said than done, you might say! True enough, it did not come easy at first! But after a long time of being in the darkness myself, I was done with focusing on the wrong things! Instead of locking myself up in hateful feelings, thoughts about all the things I did not have I made the choice to see what I DO HAVE! 

IMG Credits : http://www.teamworkandleadership.com/2014/11/gratitude-is-an-attitude-the-super-power-of-thank-you.html

When I finally opened my eyes, after years of seeing nothing but negative, I started to see the world with a different view. When I finally able to push away the negative from my life, things changed. Some might say that it's nonsense but for me, it has been what I have been looking for my whole life! 

Do I run away from the negative? 

Not so much but I won't allow it to become master in my life. And that goes for friendships as well. When someone only brings me negative feelings, emotions or the friendship causes more pain than pleasure, I step away. I will also not engage in online fights, flag wars or finger-pointing. I see no point in shouting at someone in caps while nothing will change. In the online world, I do not take things at home, or let things affect me in such way it can give me pain. It might make me feel better to scream and shout at someone who drops a message making me feel like shit but in the end, the fact I spend time fighting someone online is what makes me really sad. 

So you run away? You keep your mouth shut when someone says something bad to you? 

No, not so much. I will give a friendly reply telling said person how I feel and I will try to understand their reason behind it. BUT, I will not spend hours and hours on trying to explain something, defending myself if it feels like they can only see one way. I will tell them in a polite way that I am not online to discuss all day or to defend how or what I think. Why would I spend so much time on something that will only make me feel worse? 

So I step away and focus on the good. And trust me, there is so much to be thankful for in your life if only you are willing to see. 

Img Credits: https://newhopeinhim.wordpress.com/2013/04/25/attitude-of-gratitude/

Do I never focus on the negative? 

Saying no would be a lie. I am human and even I have negative emotions. I can feel pain, anger or jealousy. I also find myself wondering at times why something did not go the way I wanted or why I ended up not having what I so badly wanted. The only difference is that I PULL MYSELF OUT OF IT the moment I realize that I am in it! It's a choice I made a long time ago and a choice I still have to work on. You simply can't change your whole attitude around in a few weeks. Like everything, it takes time and that is okay! 

Instead of focussing on the fact that I don't own dog because my house is not made for the kind of dog I would like, I focus on the fact that I have the best rabbit in the world. Instead of thinking about not having enough money to buy something I look around in my home and smile seeing the special gifts I gathered through my life. A plant from my father, a stone from a vacation, a piggy bank from Spain, a little bunny next to my bed from my niece that always makes me smile when I wake up. 

Is there nothing you want? Something big? 

Yes, I have wishes and I would not turn being rich down. I want a comfortable life, a nice home or a homestead in the middle of nowhere, a cabin in the woods, a yacht... I dream and I want it all but let me tell you, I will settle for a rubber boat! 

I have been saying this for as long as I can remember. When I get rich I will buy myself a rubber boat! Why? I have no clue but I do know that a rubber boat will make me happier than a car that would cost me 100.000 + Dollars, or a house that would cost me 500.000 Dollar. 

My attitude is gratitude and being able to feel blessed with the little things in life makes me so much more happy than I could ever imagine.  

I am happy because I can feel blessed with little things. 

I am happy because I don't let the negative in life in! 

I am happy! 

Best wishes, 

@poeticsnake