How to Be More Grateful This Holiday Season

We can get caught up in the chaos of the holiday season. I want to encourage you to keep your perspective and be grateful this holiday season.

First Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 

Being grateful isn’t just for Thanksgiving. I want to encourage you to put gratitude into practice in your everyday life so that the joy of the holiday season stays in your heart all year round! It’s important to be grateful throughout the entire year and not just during the holidays! 

When we focus on all the good things that we have been blessed with, there is no room in our minds for negativity. Each person’s happiness is ultimately their choice. Either we can be thankful for what we have or have a bad attitude about everything that is wrong. 

Negative thoughts will hold you back from your God-given identity. 

God has a purpose and a plan specifically for you, but you can’t truly experience that unless you let go of the bad attitude weighing you down! 

Your attitude is a choice. Make the choice to be more grateful. 

Everyone has rough days. I raised five kids in an 1800s farmhouse that had one bathroom, so I know how you feel. There were days I locked myself in the bathroom and cried. But you know what I decided to do? I put a sign on the door that said, “Make the Choice to Rejoice.” YOU have to make the choice to be grateful! 

I want to encourage you today to make the choice to rejoice in all circumstances! Thankfulness is the antidote for negative thinking and depression. It is being FULL of THANKS to God for all He is and has done. Remember to purposefully be thankful when you start to feel bad. It works, and it attracts more things to be grateful for into your life.  

Read below for three tips on how you can be more grateful! 

 

Change Your Words

“My life is so stressful. I can’t catch a break!”

“We will never be able to afford that.” 

“I’ll never lose this weight.”

“My toddler is such a hassle. She doesn’t listen!” 

What have you been saying lately? What words have been coming out of your mouth?

We have all said things we shouldn’t have at one time or another. Other than Jesus, I can’t imagine there is any person who isn’t guilty of saying things they wish they could take back—about others or themselves. 

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21, NIV).  

Instead of speaking negative words, we need to be speaking words of LIFE. One of the most important things you can do to help yourself become more grateful is to speak it. Instead of complaining about never losing weight, train yourself to thank God that you have the ability to lose weight! 

Your words set the course for your life. The Bible says out of the heart the mouth speaks. What we meditate on affects the words we speak. If we’re continually meditating on the negatives in our lives, nothing but negativity is going to come out of our mouths! If we meditate on the Word of God and thankfulness, we’re training our hearts and mouths to speak the Word of God and gratitude in every situation. Renew your mind to His Word, and speak what He says.    

Our words are powerful. We need to make sure our hearts and mouths are full of the Word of God! 

 

Change Your Thoughts

Our thoughts set things into motion—for good or for bad. Our thoughts can either propel us forward or hold us back from the amazing lives God has for us. If we’re always thinking about things that are negative or toxic, there’s no way we’re moving forward. 

Too often, we live our lives with the mind-set that if only we had something else, we’d be happy. 

“If only I had more money… more success… more talent… a better body… better friends… more time… a better marriage… calmer children… THEN I’d be happy.” 

Happiness depends on our MIND-SETS, not on our CIRCUMSTANCES. 

You can’t move forward until you decide to think like God thinks. There is nothing apart from Him and His joy that can truly make us happy and complete. When we renew our minds with His Word and hope for our lives, we can rediscover our happiness and purpose in Him. 

Having an attitude of gratitude keeps our focus on the good things in our lives. Self-pity, disappointments, and bitter attitudes have the opposite effect. 

We need to start taking negative thoughts captive and meditating on positive words every day. Renew your mind to His Word, because the truth sets you free (John 8:32)! When we make the choice to rejoice and be grateful, we will have JOY! By focusing on everything we have been blessed with, we get off the negatives, and then we can be happy. 

Don’t quit! An AMAZING spiritual principle is in the works! I promise that if you begin to change your focus, your whole life, attitude, and perception will change!

 

Count Your Blessings

Your thoughts are extremely powerful. God created positive thoughts to help you love others, to laugh, to motivate you to work toward your goals, to push through circumstances, and chase after your dreams. 

Joyce Meyer once said, “You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.” 

Getting closer to your goals is impossible with a negative mind-set. Your ability to overcome mistakes depends on your willingness to think positive and be grateful for what you have! No matter what you’ve been through, it’s never too late to pick yourself up and try again.

Developing an attitude of gratitude is a HUGE building block to your success!

Every morning right after you wake up, or every night before you go to bed, think of five things you’re grateful for. You can write them down or say them out loud, whatever works best for you. Starting and ending your day with positive thoughts will stop the cycle of negative thoughts.

Your happiness is your choice! When you decide to count your blessings instead of focusing on the negative things that are happening in your life, you regain your joy! Make the choice to rejoice and be thankful. 

Do your best to keep an attitude of gratitude, and keep a godly perspective. Joy is just a prayer away. The Word of God will always be waiting for you to tell you, “YOU CAN DO IT!” 

It’s time to get joyful!

For more Holiday content you can read about Dealing with Christmas Heartbreak and Finding Happiness During the Holidays on my blog.

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Are you ready to get HAPPY? God has an incredible plan for your life, but it starts with discovering your joy in His presence. Embark on a journey toward a happier you today by joining The Happy Life!