If you are looking for one key to success I would have to say it’s to be consciously grateful for all the things you have. A grateful person is usually a happy person, satisfied with the content and direction of her life without feeling the overwhelming need to strive for more. As you proceed through life, learn to find your joys in the simplest everyday happenings.

They say we receive in kind those things we project into the world around us. Be it kindness, meanness, honesty, or deceit, the world has a way of paying us back in spades.

One simple key to success is to be consciously grateful for all of the things you have. Perhaps openly thanking the Universe or whatever God you believe in for your blessings outwardly changes your demeanor and alters the way in which you are viewed by others.

A grateful person is usually a happy person, satisfied with the content and direction of her life without feeling the overwhelming need to strive for more. Most of society is taught not to accept the status quo, and believes you can never achieve enough…enough money, enough friends, and enough power. Those that never learn to find the joy in their success will never achieve balance or fulfillment in their lives.

Gratitude for Your Family

Everyone is driven by different goals and desires, but one common priority among most of us is the importance of family. Our family is what grounds us and keeps our heads out of the clouds. The cheer our accomplishments, catch us when we stumble, and kick us in the butt when our heads get too big.

Part of maintaining a healthy work life balance is to openly show gratitude for your family. Demonstrate their importance to you by spending time with them, and by showing them open affection. Thank your family for their love, their support, and their reality checks. Most of us work to support our families, so do not be afraid to let them know they are your motivation to succeed, and do let them know just how important they are.

Give Thanks for Your Job

Next to your family, your job is probably the single largest focus of your time and attention. Not only does a job provide you with a means to live, but it can also be a great source of personal growth and development. Through your job you can be pushed to explore the boundaries of your mental, and sometimes physical, abilities. Learning to push past those boundaries, to adapt and overcome, is a source of growth and new knowledge. Your job can provide you with a feeling of self worth and purpose.

Whether you are working in the career of your dreams or are trudging along, just trying to make ends meet, be thankful for your job. Allow yourself to feel a sense of gratitude for having a source of income, even if it is not what you truly desire. By expressing gratitude, you will reflect positive energy that will be noticed by everyone around you. Your demeanor will be happier and more satisfied, which could make you a more attractive candidate when that dream job finally becomes available to you. A sour attitude is noticed by everyone and can pull unhappiness to you. A positive attitude radiates light and joy, and makes everyone happy to be near you.

Be Grateful for the Negative Things, Too

It may seem difficult to be thankful for life’s hardships. Perhaps you have suffered the loss of a job, the breakup of a marriage, or the loss of a parent. These events have profound emotional consequences that can remain with us through a lifetime.

These events are life-changing, but in what manner is entirely up to you. You can view any of these events as a horrible tragedy and wallow in self pity. Negative energy tends to beget more negative energy, so one difficult event may be followed by yet another.

There are so many other things to be grateful for, though. Be thankful for the love and support you once were given, or for the knowledge you received, or for all the joyous times that have preceded you. Give thanks for the many wonderful memories you will carry with you throughout your life, and release the negative thoughts. Do not allow yourself to become angry and bitter when instead you can use life’s more challenging events as a source of inspiration.

As you proceed through life, learn to find your joys in the simplest everyday happenings. Be thankful for each small victory, each success, and for each failure. It is those failures that help build strength and character, and allow us to persevere the next time we stumble. The human spirit has a tremendous ability to forgive, to heal, and to learn. Fill yourself with gratitude, express it openly to everyone around you, and watch in amazement as good things begin to come your way.

Thanks to Working at Home on the Internet for including this post in the Working at Home Blog Carnival, to Natural Pain Relief for featuring this post in the 126th Carnival of Healing, and to Energies of Creation for inclusion in the Carnival of Creative Growth.