Saturday, February 28, 2009

Gratitude Bracelets: How Jewelry Can Keep You Positive

By Deanna Collins

It's easy to get bogged down in life's problems. When the going gets tough, we always have two options. We can allow circumstances to take away our motivation and defeat us or we can rise to the challenge. A gratitude bracelet is one aid to staying positive, even when the odds seem stacked against us.

The Importance of Gratitude

It may seem like a small consolation when you consider there is always someone in a worse predicament than yourself. When life seems to be on a steady decline, recognize the areas in which you are blessed. By doing this you are taking a big, powerful step towards the beginning of a brand new positive outlook on life.

Viewing things objectively by detaching ourselves can often be a quite difficult task. Any pessimistic thoughts or attitudes towards a given situation are only likely to compound the problem. Consider the situation of someone with a depressive illness; by the illness causing situations to appear far worse than they actually are, and other subsequent events needing to be dealt with are often interpreted in negative terms as well. This is where the downward spiral can begin.

A pessimistic attitude can be appropriate in certain situations. Finding a balance and seeking for ways to keep perceptions and reactions in their rightful place is the key to ensuring misplaced optimism or denial does not evolve into situations as damaging as any negative attitude. The most important focus point regarding our experiences and the counterbalance is as important as gratitude itself.

Do I Have That Much To Be Grateful For?

A large number of us barely scratch the surface when it comes to recognizing those things we should be grateful for. Many don't realize they are taking these positive things for granted, and sometimes forget to count their blessings. A good way to keep track of these positive aspects of our lives is by keeping a gratitude journal. Simply keeping a daily record of the things in life we should be grateful for, such as friends and family or celebration of a small stroke of luck has been proven to enhance happiness. Once the seeking out of positives in your life has been noted, it can easily amaze you at how many things you actually have to be grateful for.

How a Gratitude Bracelet Helps Maintain a Positive Attitude

The key to using gratitude as a tool for maintaining a positive attitude is regular reinforcement. Gratitude journals work by reminding ourselves on a daily basis of the good things in our lives. A gratitude bracelet can work in a similar way. Every time you put it on, take it off or look at it during the day, it can remind you of the many reasons you have to be happy - no matter how many you have to be discontented.

The choice of your gratitude bracelet can be something to remind you in a general fashion all things positive in your life. You can, however, choose a bracelet that will have a specific, deeper meaning to it. Maybe its particular beads will serve as a reminder of all things positive and enriching in your life, such as health, people, nature or pets. Or maybe you will choose it because the particular color reminds you of some positive sentiments you feel when you look at it, such as the same color of a loved one's eyes or some sort of material which leaves you with that warm feeling you have had at some point in your life, and associate it with love and happiness..

Once there is a positive connection made between you and your gratitude bracelet there will be an endless number of opportunities to be reminded of the positive things in your life. Consider giving a gratitude bracelet as a gift, and not only are you blessing that person with the opportunity to remember their personal reasons of gratitude, they will also think of you as the person who gave them this priceless chance to remember all other reasons they have to be grateful. - 17944

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