Hey Wise Guy,
Having gratitude for your finances is one of the keys to helping you have a positive relationship with your money. When we have a healthy outlook on our financial picture, it can make all the difference in helping us to create better spending practices, and usher in more prosperity. Focusing on an attitude of gratitude can be your key to success. So what exactly is gratitude?
Merriam Webster defines gratitude as, “the state of being grateful: THANKFULNESS expressed gratitude for their support.“ Furthermore, gratitude is not only the quality of being thankful, but the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Gratitude comes from the Latin word gratus, meaning pleasing or thankful. Gratitude is not only an emotion we feel, but a state of being, and is more about mindset than practical steps.
So how can you strive to be in a mindset of gratitude when it comes to your finances? Here are five ways to reach and maintain an attitude of gratitude when it comes to money matters.
5 Ways to Have Gratitude For Your Finances:
Be thankful that you made it through. Often debt is a result of some hardships in life, and given the state of the world, unfortunately, many have found themselves in this spot. Try to focus on the positives, and be thankful that you were able to face the challenge at that time with the resources you had available
Appreciate all the lessons you have learned during this journey. Life is about the journey, not the destination, and lessons and blessings are one and the same. There is no such thing as failures in this world, merely life experience and teachable moments that can create inspired change.
Patience is a virtue. According to The Balance, “cultivating feelings of gratitude can reduce instances of impulse buying and insufficient saving. As you become more grateful, you are more likely to feel fulfilled in your life—and less likely to chase the “hit” you get from spending money.” Forbes further confirms this theory that, “gratitude encourages patience—and, thus, a more forward-focused outlook when it comes to your money.”
Contentment and generosity occur naturally when we are actively grateful. According to research by UC Berkeley, you are naturally more willing to give to others when you are coming from a stance of gratitude. When you make giving a priority, you’re forced to watch your finances more closely. Tracking your spending and reviewing expenses will have you in a deeper state of understanding regarding your financial snapshot, which makes for less stress, and generally more money in your pocket.
Be thankful that it can change. If you want to change your habits, you can, and with practice, you will! That is a fantastic opportunity in itself, and surely something to be grateful for. In this season of gratitude, let’s focus on what we love about our money, and how it empowers us to do the things with love with the people we love even more. If you could use some help with financial coaching, find out more on my website.
