The Art Of Being Unbothered: 3 Attitude Shifts For A Happier Life
andresr | Canva Now that the holiday season is winding down, there's a better gift to give everyone — it will change their life and yours. Embrace the concept that there is treasure in everything and fully trust that you are in the right place, at the right time. Decide that you are in charge of your life and your happiness. And the best way to share the gift of happiness with others is through gratitude.
Think you already have an attitude of gratitude? Well, think again. You see, gratitude is a stance, not just an attitude. It's a way of being and thinking that requires practice. So, how can you start finding ways to show your gratitude?
Let's take the time to appreciate the wonderful people on our path, and celebrate who we are. To do that, must slow down and really discover yourself. Make it a priority to create time to enjoy your life instead of just doing-doing-doing.
Here are 3 attitude shifts for a happier life:
1. Believe that you can make a huge difference
Consciously learning the good habit of slowing down will teach you to practice it and see clearly how other people contribute to your life. This is an easy way to create stronger bonds.
To improve your life, make it a conscious exercise to express your gratitude and appreciation to the people in your life. Slowing down will support you in acknowledging others and then expressing gratitude toward them.
Relationships are the most enriching way for personal growth. Get great rewards by letting people know how much you value them for who they are. This practice opens their hearts (and yours), and it has the ripple effect of deepening all connections.
A 2017 study found that when you express gratitude toward people in your life, it literally strengthens your relationships and creates deeper bonds with them because feeling valued by another person actually promotes personal growth. When someone makes you feel appreciated, it gives you the sense that you have the resources to handle whatever life throws at you, which keeps building you up to become a stronger version of yourself.
2. Create a small ritual to welcome change
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Understand that the intentional decision of being grateful and appreciative will improve your life. Then, design a ritual—a regularly repeated activity to help you slow down and appreciate the present.
For example, take a few minutes every Friday to assess the week by asking yourself without judgment: What has worked for you this week and what hasn't? What would be beneficial to carry over to next week?
Acknowledge what went right and then identify what to improve. Let go of inner judgment. Decide to show up energetically stronger the following week—in your work, in your family, and in your personal life.
Intentional gratitude practices like journaling or regularly expressing thanks lead to way higher life satisfaction and fewer symptoms of depression because they literally rewire your brain over time, a 2023 study concluded. When you create a consistent gratitude ritual instead of just randomly thinking grateful thoughts whenever you remember, it becomes an automatic habit that keeps building positive emotions and helps you develop lasting contentment rather than just temporary happy feelings.
3. Create a positive ripple effect
Reach out to family, friends, and colleagues to let them know how important they are to you. Your life experience will expand both in the moment, and beyond. What you focus on grows, so focus on what you are grateful for to attract more of it.
To express gratitude toward yourself, you might want to buy flowers (even just one flower) once a week to celebrate yourself. Symbolically shift to revitalize mode and enjoy the holiday break. Show your gratitude toward yourself.
Research found that when people witness someone expressing gratitude to another person, it makes them way more helpful and cooperative, even toward total strangers they've never met before. The positive effects of gratitude literally ripple outward because when observers see you thanking someone, they feel more connected themselves and want to share that same kindness.
Monica Magnetti is a Certified Life/Business Coach and the author of 30 Days to a New You.
