4 Ways to Nurture a Grateful Spirit

Happy weekend, gals! I’m so thrilled that many of you ladies seem to be enjoying these inner beauty posts on Saturdays. I have to admit, knowing that they’re coming up each week has pressed me to give a little more thought to what inner beauty looks like as well as how it’s developed. I want to be a woman who radiates God’s glory from the inside out. And it sounds like many of you do, too.

So as I’ve been contemplating what makes a woman beautiful from the inside out, one of the keys I’ve settled on is that gratitude seems to permeate the hearts of women who conduct themselves with true grace and loveliness. Wouldn’t you agree?

What is a grateful spirit?

To have a grateful spirit is to be fully aware of the grace and generosity of God in one’s life. A grateful woman humbly acknowledges that all she has is a gift – both the obvious blessings of life as well as the burdens or challenges she’s been given. For it’s in those hardships that she is best able to give others a glimpse of the God she loves and serves.

When we nurture a grateful spirit we protect ourselves from feelings of self-pity, self-importance, self-reliance and selfishness, all of which are pretty stinky attitudes that can settle in if we’re not on our guard against them. A grateful spirit also provides a clearer perspective as we naturally begin to focus first on God, then on other people and less on ourselves.

Finally, an attitude of gratitude helps us face hardships and sudden disruptions in our lives. If we’ve nurtured this attitude daily, when we suddenly feel overwhelmed or shaken, we’ll be more prepared to trust the God who has graciously provided for every need we’ve experienced.

And that, ladies, is what a beautiful spirit looks like to me. It’s a woman who radiates peace and joy and calm and grace, even in the midst of trials or struggles. A grateful heart is certainly a key in developing that kind of inner beauty.

4 ways to nurture gratitude this weekend

So I thought I’d provide us with four simple (or not so simple!) ways to nurture gratitude in our hearts this very weekend. These are one time exercises, but you can do them over and over. Think of them as jump starters, but also consider how you can take these and make daily habits out of them.

#1 – Tell your spouse or loved one “Thank you.”

Think of something your spouse or other loved one does for you and/or your family consistently and perhaps without any recognition. Something like…

• getting the oil changed in your car
• making the coffee each morning
• walking the dogs
• changing out the litter box
• paying the bills
• putting away the leftovers
• or cutting the grass

Now tell your loved one thank you for doing that mundane task. Express your gratitude for never having to do it yourself, for knowing that he is taking care of it and for the time it saves you.

#2 – Write a thank you note…again.

Consider a beloved object that you enjoy using and/or having that you received as a gift. You probably expressed your appreciation for the gift when you received it. But take the time this weekend to let that gift giver know that you’re still using and enjoying the thing they gave you. Write them a handwritten note, preferably, or a text or email. But share with them how that gift has kept on giving you joy. Or if it’s something you no longer have or the gift was a consumable (like a lovely meal or trip), but the memory of it still warms your heart, you can let the generous gift giver know that, too!

#3 – Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Nothing fancy about this tip. Just make a list of all the blessings you can think of. But focus on those that you experienced today. Consider things that you may take for granted on a normal day, but many people in the world would consider a luxury.

But don’t just count your blessings. Name them one by one. In other words, share your list with someone. Tell your husband about some of the things on your list or share it with your kids. Give God a little glory!

#4 – Get down on your knees.

There’s just something about getting down on our knees to pray. Daniel did it, David did it, Jesus did it. When we’re on our knees we’re acknowledging our great need and God’s great provision. We’re confessing that He is God and we are not.

Spend some time on your knees this weekend thanking God for the many ways He has blessed you just this past week.

Thank you

And, dear gals, I just want to say thank you to you. I am most grateful for you. Thank you for reading, subscribing, commenting, showing up. You are a blessing to me. I do not take you for granted. Please know that I am grateful that you have chosen to be part of the Dressed for My Day community.

Have a blessed and lovely weekend!