Best New Year's Resolution Ever!
According to StatisticBrain.com, 41% of Americans make a resolution every New Year but only about 9% of us feel we accomplish our goal. Most of us resolve to eat better and lose weight without much success. And this is understandable. After all, January is the most dreary month of the year for much of the U.S. The food deprivation and cold temperatures are a recipe for being grumpy. I know because I made this resolution for several years until I discovered the very best New Year's resolution.
Gratitude
Do you want to feel better about yourself and others, be in a good mood most of the time and have success at work? Of course, you do! Being grateful may be the best resolution you'll make.
To have success with this practice, you need to follow a few simple steps each day for at least 66 days. According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, if you practice a new habit for a little over two months, you've created a new behavior.
Here are the easy steps to creating gratitude as your new attitude. I wish you success on your exciting journey!
STEP ONE
Read the following facts. As you read each statistic consider what you have and if you have an opportunity to be grateful for something that you take for granted.
- 775 million people in the world cannot read or write their name.
- Almost half the world population, 3 billion people, live on $2.50 a day
- Approximately 40% of the world population has access to a computer
- 1 in 10 people lack access to clean water
- 1/3 of the world population does not have access to a toilet
STEP TWO
Make a list of things you may be taking for granted. For example, when I was in my early 20's, I didn't have a car. It's easy to take my car for granted today but I remember how difficult it was to get around town using buses and public transportation. I'm grateful for my car. Your list might include:
- I am grateful for clean water to brush my teeth, take a shower and drink.
- I am grateful for coffee and my coffee maker.
- I am grateful for my car, bike and/or public transportation.
- I am grateful for my children and extended family.
- I am grateful for my education.
- I am grateful for Trader Joe's 1 pound chocolate bar.
My friend has a gratitude jar. On small scraps of paper, she jots down what she is grateful for that day. It's a ritual she started last year and now a favorite part of her day. There are so many good reasons to be a "glass half full" kind of person.
If you're looking for a New Year's resolution that will do you good, give this gratitude practice a try.
Excellent point 
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