"You've got holes in another pair of jeans?! How many is that?"
If you were walking down our street recently, you likely would have heard those words coming through the windows. From me. I'm sick of holes in jeans. Until I step back and try to think about it from a different perspective. What if I shift to gratitude? What would that look like?
"I am grateful Evan plays hard and is an active kid, even if that means ripped jeans sometimes. I'm grateful I have the resources to buy new jeans - and even more grateful Target sells some for $8. I'm grateful he doesn't mind wearing jeans with holey knees so I don't have to run out and buy some right away."
I've read enough books about happiness and positivity to know gratitude is one of the most powerful strategies to increase happiness. The more I practice gratitude, the more grateful I become. And happier. Making the shift from frustration to gratitude provides a palpable sense of relief.
Shift from "I can't stand spending time with her" to "I'm grateful I won't have to see her again for a while."
Shift from "I am too busy" to "I am grateful for my full life. I'm grateful I can say no to some things and I will start doing that."
Shift from "I'm bored" to "I'm grateful for some down time."
Shift from "Why is that employee so difficult?" to "I'm grateful for the opportunity to develop my leadership skills."
I just came across this quote from Barry Neil Kaufman: "Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside."
Take the shortcut. Shift to gratitude.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash