Envision Empowerment Course on Gratitude

Gratitude as a Way of Life

Almost every day, we say thanks. We absentmindedly tell it to the grocery store checkout clerk and to the barista at our local coffee shop but are these sincere expressions of gratitude, or merely a response we’ve been conditioned to give?

What exactly is gratitude?

Is it something different than saying “thanks,” or is the “thanks” a component of gratitude?

As you will discover as you read through this guide, a simple “thanks” can have a powerful impact on both the person

THE GRATITUDE PLAN

Begins by communicating their appreciation and the person receiving that appreciation. This is especially true when the genuine emotion of gratitude backs the word. The question then becomes, what exactly is gratitude?

The Roman philosopher, Cicero, described gratitude as the greatest of virtues and the parent of all others. It is the key that

opens all doors and is the quality that makes us and keeps us young. This statement, spoken more than two thousand years ago,

is quite compelling. It speaks of gratitude as a virtue or quality of being. Gratitude is just this and so much more. Gratitude is also

an emotion. It is something that we feel deep in our hearts. We can feel it toward others, when people are grateful to us, or when

we see a person express gratitude toward another. As a sentiment or as an exchange between people, there is simplicity to being

grateful. And yet, when trying to understand this simplicity, we can find a more complex meaning. Gratitude is an emotion, it is

an experience, and it is a conscious choice for awareness. Connections in your relationships are both strengthened and

fostered with gratitude.

Areas to be grateful for:

Family

Friends

Relationships

Spiritual Blessings

Health

Finances

Home

Possessions

Spouse

Children

Peace

Love

Hope

Faith