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7 Ways to Protect and Cultivate Your Feelings of Gratitude<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n 1) Don\u2019t get pulled in to negative talk.<\/strong> When a conversation you\u2019re in starts to go negative, don\u2019t be afraid to be the one who changes the subject. If that doesn\u2019t work be willing to excuse yourself.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n 2) Help others turn away from negativity.<\/strong> If someone you know persists in talking about negative things all the time, find a tactful way to tell them that you really don\u2019t appreciate it. They may not even realize that they\u2019re doing it, and you could be doing them a huge favor.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n 3) Show gratitude.<\/strong> Willingly express gratitude and appreciation for those around you. Tell them specifically what you appreciate and why. Then you can feel grateful that you were able to shine a little sunshine into their life.<\/font><\/p>\n 4) See the big picture.<\/strong> When you find yourself in a difficult situation, look for the beneficial aspects created by that situation. Ask yourself: \u201cWhat have I learned here that will benefit me in the future? When I look back on this experience a year from now, what will I be grateful for?\u201d<\/p>\n 5) Control your response.<\/strong> If someone criticizes you don\u2019t get defensive. Respond by saying something like: \u201cThank you for bringing that to my attention, I\u2019ll give it some careful consideration.\u201d You can be grateful that you didn\u2019t allow them to push your buttons, and who knows, maybe their point was valid and your life will be better for considering it.<\/p>\n 6) Look for reasons to say thank you.<\/strong> When other people sense that you appreciate them it changes the dynamic of your relationship. Everyone loves to be appreciated. They\u2019ll be more inclined to do nice things for you because you appreciate their efforts. In turn, you\u2019ll have even more reasons to feel gratitude.<\/p>\n 7) Have a gratitude review.<\/strong> Do this as soon as you wake up in the morning and before you go to sleep at night. Remember to count your blessings daily. Think of all the things you have to be grateful for. If you start and end each day with gratitude your whole life will shift in a more positive direction. It only takes a minute or two to allow gratitude fill your heart and mind.<\/p>\n
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