There's copious amounts of research that tells us gratitude is good for us, neuroplasticity, rewiring our brain, and all that, but the more I practice gratitude, the more I get the feeling it's a superpower!

Here are 5 ways I've experienced the superpower of gratitude in my life that I hope inspire you to try it for yourself, or ramp your gratitude practice up a notch:

Superpower #1. Turn despair into joy:

"It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful."
-David Steinall-Rast 

Feeling hopeless or helpless would have to be the worst feeling in the world.
Conversely, feeling powerful and in control of your thoughts and feelings are the best feelings ever!

By forcing myself to think about the things I'm grateful for, at times when it's the last thing I feel like doing, I've experienced the most incredibly empowering feeling - I can change the way I feel, it's completely an inner-game. Using my will to take control of my thoughts, I can change my inner world from despair into joy, and my perception of the outer world from gloomy to bright.

By achieving this, even just once, you'll understand what a superpower this is.
Doing it over and over again, will make your powers grow even stronger.

Superpower #2. Turn the mundane into the miraculous:

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower, clearly our whole life would change."
-Buddha

Much of life is mundane. The thrilling and exciting moments of life are few and far between.
We can't change this fact, but we can turn mundane things into miracles.

Here's a simple example of cooking dinner. What if, as I turned on the oven I pondered the genius of the invention of electricity and  the man-power that went into bringing that electricity into my home, and I said a little thank-you for this ease and luxury in my life. By dwelling on these types of thoughts, I can turn a simple thing I previously took for granted, into a moment of awe.

There are endless mundane moments each day.
How many of them can you turn into miracles using the superpower Gratitude?

Superpower #3. Make more good things appear:

"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." -Eckhart Tolle

Life feels hard and like a burden when we're battling constant hassles and hiccups. 
Life feels easy and light when things just seem to go our way.

The more I notice and give thanks for the good things in my life, the more good things appear. It could be getting a carpark when I'm in a hurry, a complicated situation working itself out, or suddenly having some time freed up.  When I really get tuned in to the good, life seems to have a natural grace, and I find myself surrounded by good fortune, good people, and good happenings.

Skeptical? As the saying goes 'Don't knock it till you've tried it'.
Spend more time noticing the good and watch this superpower in action for yourself.

Superpower #4. Influence how other people show up for me:

"Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well." - Voltaire

People, connections, and relationships are super important in our lives. 
How we see people can bring out the best in them, or the worst.

Feeling and expressing gratitude for the people in my life, focusing on their goodness, their strengths, and what I love and appreciate about them, even (and especially) when that's hard to do, somehow makes their goodness shine through even more. This can happen in delightfully random ways too, with colleagues, acquaintances, or complete strangers. 
(see my short story in the PS below).

Is someone not showing up for you in the way you'd like right now?
Give this superpower a try.

Superpower #5. Influence how I show up for myself and others:

"What is planted in each person's soul will sprout."
-Rumi

In times of stress, conflict, or overwhelm, whatever is in your cup is what will spill out.
It can be joy, peace, humility; or anger, bitterness, and harsh words.

When my cup is filled with gratitude, I am a better person in every way. I feel strong and invincible; I can navigate life's challenges and let go of frustrations; I feel clear, creative, and confident; I am productive, focused, and decisive. These superpowers mean I can be a superhero for others by doing my best work and giving my best to the people I care about. 

Your cup won't fill with gratitude all on its own.
Constantly top it up to keep this superpower alive.

Don't take my word for it!

I'm sure there's a perfectly logical scientific explanation for my musings above. Nevertheless, the beautiful things that happen in my life when I'm feeling and expressing gratitude often feel mysterious, magical, and leave me with goosebumps - which only adds to how wonderful they feel. 

So, will you give it a go? Really, what have you got to lose? 

In my next Peptalk I'll give you 5 practical ways to start practicing gratitude.

Until then...

What's one thing you could give a heartfelt 'thank you' for right now?