The Expat Woman's Guide to Living a Life of Gratitude
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One of the things that could happen to you as an expat is that sense of negativity and defeat, especially when things are not going as they should or when you begin to get overwhelmed by so many changes – culture shock, new laws, no friends, new environment, weather and so on. You might find yourself complaining about every little thing.
What you may not realize however, is that if you wake up in the morning and you find something to complain about that’s pretty much how your day is going to go. You may have already heard of the ‘law of attraction,’ which simply says that what you focus on and where you put your energy is what you are going to get. In other words, you create your reality.
What would happen if instead of waking up complaining, you opened your eyes and gave thanks for your life? Just that little shift in your attitude from complaining to gratitude can make you more aware of the pleasures in your life and all the blessings that surround you. Gratitude will put your day-to-day experiences into perspective. When you view the good and the bad, you will be able to move past the complaining, see the blessings and learn to use what you have to your advantage.
Let’s look at 4 ways to do that.
#1 Start Your own Gratitude Journal
Set aside a few minutes at the beginning and at the end of your day to write down 3 or 4 things you are grateful for. It can be as simple as you woke up this morning or as complex as something that happened during the day. Writing down what you are grateful for can help you realize how blessed you are.
#2 Take Time to Stop and Smell the Roses
Start to handle your day differently than you have been. Take a minute to stop and smell the roses. In other words, stop rushing through your day. Stop yourself before you become overwhelmed and the negative feelings start to take hold. Stop, breathe, look around, find something beautiful to absorb. Nature is always great but if you are nowhere near nature, perhaps there’s a child, a piece of art, etc. that catches your attention. Focus on it and breathe.
#3 Turn a Negative into a Positive
This can feel difficult. However, if you can achieve it, you will benefit greatly. Before you allow yourself to get upset, stop yourself, and think it through with a positive attitude. You might have to meditate on it, you might have to get yourself into a calm state before you address the situation – whatever it takes. Take a minute to look for the good in the situation.
#4 Give a Compliment
Share kindness with those around you. Say something nice to a stranger or a friend. Spread the love and lift up another human being. You will make their day and yours too.
4 ways to create an attitude of gratitude. It’s really not that hard!
