Do you see the glass as half empty or half full? Chances are you’ll view life the same way. A number of scientific studies are suggesting that an optimistic attitude of gratitude is good for you and your business –
“Grateful individuals are not naively optimistic, nor are they under some illusion that suffering and pain are nonexistent… Grateful people may have more psychic maneuverability than the ungrateful, enabling them to be less defensive and more open to life.” [1]
“As per the literature across disciplines, gratitude emerges as a key force that influences relationships. It represents the emotional core of reciprocity and a key force in development and maintenance of co-operative relational bond [such as exists between reputable sellers and their loyal customers].” [2]
Scarcity Anxiety
Most of us in the UK actually have more than enough for our needs. But we just don’t see it. We’ve developed a habit of focussing on scarcity rather than abundance. We view our situation through a lens of pesimism and it makes us fearful and resentful. We’re always on the lookout for something or someone to blame. Our own negativity is contributing to the collective feedback loop of dramas that we see reported in our media newsfeeds 24/7.
The good news is, we can choose a lens of optimism that allows us to be more courageous and generous. If we resent the way our life has unfolded up till now we can develop a habit of gratitude and an abundance mentality that will re-wire our brain accordingly.
Cultivating gratitude
There are a number of ways to cultivate a sense of gratitude. For example, you can –
Learn to recognise when you’re thinking negatively. It’s hard to feel grateful when you’re catastrophising, blaming, and running yourself down with judgmental self-talk. Try to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones.
Write down at least three things you’re grateful for each morning when you wake up or each evening before you go to sleep.
Show the people in your life that you appreciate them by doing something nice for them each day.
Take a moment each day to recall a personal characteristic or an achievement that you’re proud of.
Benefits of gratitude
When you recognise that actually you do have more than enough to be grateful for you’re more likely to find the courage to confront a genuine problem when it arises. You’ll view that problem as a challenge and you’ll adapt accordingly. You’ll no longer have the mindset of scarcity and the fear of failure and loss that can stop you trying to improve the situation.
Gratitude feels so much nicer than resentment. If you can choose to see the glass as half full why wouldn’t you?
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[1] ‘Gratitude and the Science of Positive Psychology’ by Robert A. Emmons & Charles M. Shelton – in Handbook Of Positive Psychology Edited by C. R. Snyder Shane J. Lopez. Oxford University Press, 2002. (p. 468)
[2] ‘Gratitude: An Emotional Approach in Business Relationship’ by Prem Prakash Dewani and Piyush Kumar Sinha in Research Journal of Business Management Volume 6 (1) : 1-11, 2012.
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