This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "The Power" by Rhonda Byrne. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Why is gratitude the key to happiness? How can you learn to be grateful?
Gratitude is the key to happiness because the more you show gratitude, the more you receive love in return from others. You can learn to be grateful by starting with an appreciation for even the tiniest things.
Read more to learn why gratitude is the key to your happiness.
Why Gratitude is Key
There is no greater form of love than gratitude. When you show gratitude, you give love, which means you will receive love in return. You can be grateful for anything in life, big or small.
- Show gratitude for your home, the food in your refrigerator, a new pair of boots, a stable income, or a beautiful sunrise.
- Be grateful for your health and happiness, experiences, and friends and partners.
- Be grateful you’re alive.
You show gratitude by simply saying, “Thank you.” That’s it.
The key to gratitude is to focus on what you are grateful for and think of all the reasons why. Say them in your mind. Say them out loud. If it’s a person, tell them why you are grateful for them. Even if they’re not with you physically, talk to them as if they are.
The Compounding Effect of Gratitude
Gratitude is the key to harnessing the power of love. The gratitude you show, even for the tiniest things, adds up to equal a lot of love. Give love through gratitude, and receive more to be grateful about. As you continue to show gratitude, the cycle continues.
- If you show gratitude for your finances, big or small, you will be rewarded with more financial stability to be grateful for.
- If you show gratitude for your spouse or partner, your relationship with them will improve.
There are three ways to use gratitude to give love and receive what you want back.
- Show gratitude for what you’ve been given in the past.
- Show gratitude for what you have in your life now.
- Show gratitude for what you will receive in the future.
If you aren’t grateful for the life you’ve lived and are currently living, you’re not expressing love for your life. You couldn’t be where you are today without yesterday, and you can’t be where you’ll be tomorrow without today. Say thank you for the life you have, and say thank you for the life to come. Gratitude is the key to accessing the power of the law of attraction. Show gratitude as though you’ve already received the life you want, and the law of attraction will respond in kind.
Be Thankful Daily
Show a little bit of gratitude if you only want your life to change a little bit. But show gratitude throughout each day, and the rewards will be immense. The rewards of gratitude are not merely what the law of attraction brings back to you. Gratitude is the key to love, and love is what destroys negativity.
Even at your worst moment, you can always find something good to show gratitude for. Every small “thank you” adds love to your life because the sensation of gratitude is the antidote to bad feelings. Gratitude is the key to feeling happy. You can’t feel bad when you’re grateful. Reach for whatever gratitude you can find in dark times to help your light shine brighter.
Look for more opportunities to feel gratitude every day to keep the negative feelings away. When you get a good seat at the movies, rockstar parking, or a seat on a crowded bus, say thank you. And if you can’t find something in the external world, show gratitude for your personal attributes. Your ability to see, hear, walk, laugh, touch, feel, and breathe are all blessings. Your endurance and fortitude are gifts. Your mind is a gift.
Finally, show gratitude for the world around you. Your city, state, and country were built by people who worked under harsh and strenuous conditions. Thank them for this world. Someone gave us the gift of electricity, motor vehicles, and music. Thank them. Thank the people who built roads, maintained open spaces, and protected the waterways. They are deserving of thanks.
Be grateful for everything you can every day. Be grateful when things are good as well as bad. It’s the simplest gift you can give to the world and your life.
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Here's what you'll find in our full The Power summary :
- How you can have whatever you want in life simply by feeling love for it
- How to form a lasting and powerful relationship with the universe
- Tips for harnessing the power of the force of love
