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Coffee Date Vol. 7: The Power Of Gratitude

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Button Up Top // Jeans // Boots

Grab a cup of coffee and lets chat about gratitude, thankfulness and asking God for more.

Grab a cup of coffee and lets chat about gratitude, thankfulness and asking God for more.

Shop The Post:

Button Up Top // Jeans // Boots

Welcome to Coffee Date Vol. 7! If you missed last month’s coffee date, you can find it here.  This coffee date is a little different that my past few.  I use these posts as time to catch up with you all and share a bit about what has been going on in our lives.  Even though A LOT is going on in our lives right now, and I have quite a few updates, I am going to save them for November! I cannot believe we are almost in November, btw! Anyhow, this month is all about some things going on in my heart!

Gratitude: the state of being grateful.  Thankfulness.

Where I Got Lost:

Earlier this month I found myself not being as grateful for things as I should have been.  I had just received huge favor, huge provision and open doors, yet is wasn’t enough.  I found myself jumping ahead and asking God for more, the next big thing so to speak, without taking a moment to appreciate what God had just done. This was scary.  I caught myself quickly and I felt like God wanted to challenge me.  For one week I couldn’t pray for anything that I wanted more in this particular area.  Instead I was to thank God for what I already had and what he had already done.  This was harder than I thought it would be.

I began to make a list of every single thing God had done in this particular area that I was feeling like I needed more in.  When I made this list I began to realize that ALREADY over the past year, God had done exceedingly abundantly above all I could ask or imagine.  It made me appreciate EVERYTHING so much more.  Every time I wanted to ask for more I would refer back to this list during the week and just say “thank you.”  At the end of the week I realized a few things.  # 1, if I don’t take a moment to a appreciate the goodness of God, then what He does for me will never ever be enough.  # 2, My satisfaction and completeness cannot come from fulfilled dreams and answered prayers alone, It must come from who God is.  My perspective and hunger for things of this world have shifted a bit since, but I have a long way to go.

The Power Of Gratitude:

  • Encourages Humility
  • Reduces Negativity
  • Increased General Appreciation 
  • Improved Relationships
  • Decreases Stress & Anxiety
  • High Levels Of Optimism
  • Better OverAll Health

How Can We Become More Grateful:

  1. Stop and smell the roses. Literally, take time daily, stop and think about a few things that you can give thanks for .  For me, sometimes I have bring it back to the basics of just thanking God for my family’s health.  Health is wealth.  Something we can all give thanks for.

2.  Write down a list of things that you are grateful for in the area of experiences for 2 consecutive weeks. I did one week, but I should have done 2.   Research has shown that doing this has lasting positive effects sustained for up to six months… I believe this.  After one week, things have truly shifted in my heart and mind.

3.  Express or show gratitude to your friends, spouse and family.  Positivity, breeds positivity and you literally shift the atmosphere by focusing on what you are grateful for.

4.  Write down what you appreciate about yourself. Not something I gravitate to naturally but I think this is important.  The sooner we realize how amazing we are, the more powerful and effective people we will become.  There is a lot inside of each and every one of us to be appreciated.

Gahh! That was a mouth full but I have been sitting on this for a while now and finally got a chance to get it all out! I hope this all made sense!! Have an amazing week and thank you as always for stopping by the blog!!

All Photos By: Nicole Quiroz

 


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. cynthia says

    Thank you for sharing. We all need a reminder to be grateful. and that part about listing the tings you appreciate about yourself…wow, I really needed to hear that.

    Thanks again!

  2. Maggie says

    What a lovely post and great message! thank you for sharing this! and I also love those red boots!

  4. jen says

    I love your tip about recognizing what we appreciate about ourselves. This is an IMPORTANT reminder and one I should pass on to my young girls too. Lovely post!

  5. Belle says

    Love this post! I practice gratitude by enumerating the list of things I want to be thankful for every night when I say a prayer, and I do the same with the kids too. it’s really nice to be thankful for even the little things in life! By the way, those red boots are fab!

    Belle | One Awesome Momma

  6. Laura || Walking in Memphis in High Heels says

    Thi s post is exactly what I neeed to read today! I love those pants and shoes, so pretty!

  9. Gladys parker says

    GRATITUDE IS SO POWERFUL! eVERY NIGHT i THINK OF EVERYTHING i HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR RIGHT DOWN TO AIR CONDITIONING AND INDOOR PLUMBING. iT EASES THE ANXIETY THAT COMES FROM THE DAY.

  10. Kindly Unspoken says

    What an awesome reminder, ruthie! We get so caught up in looking ahead sometimes that we forget to stop and thank god for all of our blessings. So important!

  11. danasia fantastic says

    THIS IS SUCH A GREAT POST! i started keepING A GRATITUDE JOURNAL RECENTLY, AND IT’S MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN MY PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE.

  12. Lauren says

    Thanks for sharing, Ruthie. I try to take time to slow down and be grateful for where i am – i’d love to start writing it all down for when i need a reminder 🙂

  13. Heather says

    It’s a great season for gratitude. There a so many things In my life that I am thankful for, but taking the moments to stop and appreciate them doesn’t happen as often as i’d like.

  14. Kileen says

    I love this post so much!! I totally believe in the power of gratitude, it’s a very important lesson and I try to teach my kids to be thankful as much as possible.
    And love those boots, so cute!

    Kileen
    cute & little

  16. Our Family World says

    It just right that we express gratitude every time. A sincere “Thank you” can really brighten up someone’s day, especially if things are not going well. I do say thank you to god every night before I go to bed. HE IGNORED MY “wants” but he has fulfilled my needs, and for that I am so grateful. Thank you for this reminder. Stay blessed!

  17. kage2015 says

    First we should alwasy give thans to Heavenly Father for what we do have. Next is to ask for what we need. Next go back and be sure to say thank you for what he has given us. Can’t be to greedy.

  18. Lisa says

    Love the outfit! I find myself caught up in moments of selfishness too… hard to admit but there are people with a lot less!

  19. sami summers says

    I am a huge fan of the gratitude list. It is so easy to “forget” or overlook blessings when you get distracted by what you want. I love this post so much, it has helped me to reevaluate what is important.

    that outfit is amazing, by the way

  21. Sarah says

    I love the idea of coffee dates! What a great concept. You are so right, its very easy to get caught up in wanting more and more and not realizing how lucky we truly are.

  22. Nicole Green says

    Girl! Thank you for sharing your heart like this. I’m definitely guilty of getting ahead of myself and not making the effort to appreciate the here and now. I loved what you pointed out about what gratitude does for us and really want to make the effort {especially going into the holidays} to be more present and grateful.

  23. Debbie Savage says

    I love your words ruthie! It is all so true and authentic. you speak from your heart and i can feel it. thank you for the reminder. perfect timing heading into NOVEMBER!

  31. Angelle Marix says

    This is soooo goOd, Ruthie!!!!!!! I aM chaLlenged by each point that you stated!! Love you and your bIg heart!!

    Xoxo,
    ANgeLle

  37. Rosalie says

    I LOVED reading this! This is something that I’ve actually been working at quite a bit myself, and reading this has given me so much inspiration 🙂

  38. Ashley DTKAustin says

    Such a well written post. Gratitude is so hard to come by these days so I try extra hard to let people in my life know that I am overly grateful for them. 🙂

  42. Stephanie // A Sparkle Factor says

    LOVE this post so much! I totally needed to hear it. It’s so easy to fall into an attitude of ingratitude lol. I’ve found myself doing it too lately. Thanks for the encouragement!

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