What we focus on is what grows, and so where we direct our attention is what shapes our thoughts. For instance, if we are grateful for what we have in our lives, we are likely to be happier and more content. The more you look for things about which to be grateful, the more of these sorts of things you will find, and the more content you will become.
Keeping a gratitude journal is therefore something you could do if you are interested in becoming happier and more content. This will encourage you to look for positives, rather than focusing on the negatives. After all, focusing on what you don’t have just reinforces the idea that you are lacking what you want in life. The law of attraction then kicks in, so that you are constantly conscious of what you think you lack.
In this scenario, you are always reminding yourself about what it is that you think you don’t have. The universe responds in kind, so that what you are focusing on is what in fact you get (or rather, don’t get).
The alternative approach is to focus on having what you want, and being grateful for what you have. This in turn will mean that the universe is more likely to give you more of what you want. Imagine that you have what you want right now — then you might get it. In any case, you will be happy with what you have and this sense of contentment will mean you are more able to find peace in the moment.
Whether you subscribe to the law of attraction, or just the idea that what we focus on is what grows, it makes sense to look for, find and focus on the positives in life.
A practical way of doing this is to pick out three things that went well at the end of each day and write them down in your gratitude journal, adding the reasons as to why they went well. This will help you to focus on good things, and the positive aspects of life. You will find that this sort of positive psychology exercise is very helpful in enabling you to feel happier.
The same applies to being grateful. If you journal three things that you are grateful for each day, being conscious of changing them daily so that you are making a positive to choice find more and different things about which to be grateful, you will begin to feel more content and happier.
This is because you won’t forever be thinking of the things you lack. When you become more aware of the things in your life that you are grateful for, this in turn will attract other good things into your life.