You're probably familiar with the idea that what you think about becomes your reality. If you're not happy with your reality, you need to change your thinking in order to create different results in your life.

One simple and practical way to change your thinking is to focus on what you're grateful for. There's a lot written these days about using gratitude journals to record what you're thankful for. Gratitude rocks are promoted as a simple way to remind yourself to focus on the good things. There's even a gratitude dance to help you change your attitude and boost your energy!

I personally use a gratitude journal on a daily basis and I teach others to incorporate gratitude into their lives. It works. It moves your attention from the difficult or negative stuff to things that are great in your world. As a result, you see and attract more good in your life.

However, I discovered a very insightful lens by lensmaster, theraggededge, that offers a different perspective. I love lenses that make me think, and this one definitely does that! In Appreciate Your Way to Happiness, theraggededge suggests that appreciation may be a better way to focus your thoughts on what's good and to create happiness in your life – - true, internal happiness that then spills out into your life.

But what's the difference between appreciation and gratitude? Why would appreciation be better?

Common definitions of appreciation are "to be grateful or thankful for," "an expression of gratitude" and "recognition of the quality, value, significance, or magnitude of people and things" (www.dictionary.com). A definition of gratitude is that "gratitude, thankfulness, or appreciation is a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive" (www.wikipedia.org).

At first glance, the terms seem to be the same. In fact, they are used interchangeably in these definitions.

However, there is a significant difference that theraggededge so insightfully points out. She writes, "Gratitude makes me think I owe this good-feeling to someone or something outside of myself . . . [but] appreciation comes from within. Appreciation makes me feel as though I am giving something rather than receiving something."

Makes sense.

Personally, I see gratitude as something that is within me and flows out from the core of me. It's a mindset of seeing the good – - a way of perceiving things and valuing things that I choose to frame my life with. Perhaps a better term for this is appreciation!

So, what do you think? And how would you incorporate appreciation into your life?

Theraggededge offers some suggestions. She beautifully shares several ways of integrating appreciation into your life, even including one of her own art journal pages as an illustration. She provides tips for simple, everyday practices as well as deeper methods of appreciating your life.

What can you implement?

Visit: Appreciate Your Way to Happiness

Hey and hello Foodies! Welcome to my first post here on Squidoo Lens Reviews. It’s sure a warm and cozy place to settle in to chat about good food happenings on Squidoo. My blogging placemat here prompts images of our huge Squidoo family gathering ‘round a table where scrumptious food is consumed and joyous conversation [...]

Pink Flamingos have always interested me. I love everything about them from their color to the narrowness of their long legs. The bright pink color of a healthy, well fed flamingo is one of the most beautiful colors found in nature in my opinion. Even the crooked neck of the flamingo is beautiful and seemingly [...]