One Simple Thing: Practice an Attitude of Gratitude

Most of the prospective clients who come to into my personal training studio are in some state of unhappiness. They are unhappy with the appearance of their bodies, unhappy with the way they feel, unhappy with their health, and the list goes on. It would be one thing if they could contain their unhappiness to the actual cause, but more often it tends to spill over to their whole being and alters their overall state of mind.

So I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject of happiness. From Happy for No Reason to The How of Happiness... there's a pile of books over here and eventually I'll make it through them all. But in the meantime, I am starting to notice a common thread. Happiness always seems to start with an attitude of gratitude.

It's pretty to simple to understand if you compare it to the half glass full/half empty line of thinking. If I am looking at it as half full, I am grateful for what I have, and by focusing on it, I will bring more of it to me. If I am looking at it as half empty, I am thinking about what is lacking or inadequate and will continue to bring more of the negative to me. It's not a new line of thinking... it's simply the law of attraction.

It's been written about for hundreds of years but most recently in book, The Secret. You've probably heard of it. Now please don't think for a second that I believe that all it takes is positive thinking, visualization, and an attitude of gratitude to make everything magical in your life! But I can tell you that when your foundation consists of well established goals and a hard work  ethic, you can go from good to great at lightning speed when you practice an attitude of gratitude. Or, if you feel that you are stuck deep in a bottomless pit, you can begin to find the path out by practicing an attitude of gratitude. 

I have been trying this out for a while now. I started with simple things around the house... being grateful for the person who invented the washing machine (hey it saves me a tremendous amount of time everyday!) and grateful for a working A/C that provides relief from the scorching temperatures outside.

Everyday, I walk into my workplace with an attitude of gratitude. I am grateful for the privilege of being in the business of delivering happiness. Who could ask for a better job! I am grateful for a talented, driven, and passionate staff of trainers whose number one priority is to see their clients feel the best they've ever felt. I am grateful for our clients who make the work we do rewarding in more ways than I can describe.

There are countless studies that show people who are grateful are in better emotional AND physical health. In a remarkable study performed by Dr. Emmons, people who kept a gratitude journal for just 3 weeks measured 25 percent higher on life satisfaction afterwards. They exercised more, drank alcohol less, and their families and friends noticed that they were nicer to be around. And the effects lasted for several months beyond the initial 3 week study. Other studies on gratitude are confirming these results.

Start to find little things to be grateful for and watch it change your perspective, then your mindset, and eventually your life.

Committed to Your Health & Happiness,

Elaina Smith

Elaina Smith is the owner of Studio One to One, a personal training studio offering customized fitness solutions in Milton, GA. For more information, visit www.studio-onetoone.com or call (678) 367-3619.