Have you ever been stuck in a rut? A rut that seems like there is no end in sight? No matter how hard you try, every step forward feels like you’re taking two steps back?

I’ve been there! However, a little over two months ago I started doing something that radically changed my life, my career, and my relationships.

I started being grateful. I learned the secret to true happiness is gratitude.

The science doesn’t lie. Being happy comes from being gracious. I was listening to a Social Triggers interview with Derek Halpern and Tim Ferris. In the interview Ferris talked about his battle with suicidal thoughts, which shocked me, coming from a guy who’s penned multiple New York Times best sellers.

In the podcast, Ferris specifically talks about how gratitude and The Five Minute Journal, a journal and app built with proven principles of positive psychology, helped him get to get his focus back.

Happiness and Gratitude

To better explain the scientific link behind happiness and gratitude, SoulPancake conducted an experiment in gratitude based on a Positive Psychology study. The findings are remarkable.
 

 
Gratitude is based on two specific actions:
 

• Cultivation: Gratitude is the opposite of depression and anxiety. It’s the conscious experience of appreciating the gifts in our lives and the results are tangible.

• Introspection: Ending the day on the right note can be essential to a good night’s sleep, eliminating negative thought loops and learning more about yourself.

Gratitude. That’s it! Over the last two months, I have practiced being grateful and used The Five Minute Journal app every morning and every evening. Here are my results:
 

• I am genuinely happier

• I had a deeper appreciation for my family

• The things that used to frustrate me started to disappear

• I was more driven and launched my podcast: Happiness of Pursuit

• I became more productive

• Improved focus on the important tasks

• I am more motivated to help others succeed

• It has even helped my golf game!

 
I remember the first two days of my gratitude journey. I wasn’t sure what write, so I chose the obvious: health, family, and a great career. After just a few days I noticed I was more grateful for what family, health, and a great career actually meant in my life.

They each had a unique relevance and played a distinct role in the happiness of my life; similar to the powerful context each individual shared in the above video.

Reset Your Life

After two weeks of proactively being grateful I noticed an increased personal drive—a passion, a hyper-focus, a new hunger to give 200% to everything was important to me. I was able to say “No” to distractions and things that were less important.

It was like hitting a reset button everyday to focus on the things that mattered.

Change your strategy, change your result.
Change your story, change your life.
Change your state—you change it all! – Tony Robbins

“Change your state – you change it all!” This is precisely what happened to me. I had changed my state and I decided to be happy! As a direct result to being grateful, I completely changed the trajectory of my life, my career, and my relationships.

You can do the same by simply practicing this one simple act of gratitude.
 
 
This article has been edited and condensed.

Doug Foley is a marketer, entrepreneur, and strategic thinker who frequently writes about marketing strategies that small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurs can use to immediately implement to jump start their growth. Connect with @douglasjfoley on Twitter.

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