Choosing To Be Grateful

“To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted…
Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.”
— Albert Schweitzer

Why is Gratitude Important?

“Count your blessings” has become a trite expression.  We know we should be grateful and in fact, often say we are but do we truly feel it?  Why is it even important to be grateful?  Here are three reasons:

It starts you on full.  Beginning your day by feeling grateful is like driving with a full tank of gas.  By shifting your focus to what you have instead of what you lack, you are acknowledging that you have more than enough to get to your next destination.

It brings you to the present.  Even as you are moving toward future aspirations, you must operate in the present to fully experience life.  Gratitude lives in the here and now.

It is linked to other outcomes you desire.  Gratitude leads to more peace of mind, joy in life, compassion for others, and love.

Be on the Lookout… for little g’s and Big G’s

An eight-year-old girl sat next to me on an airplane.  She pointed out her new Mandarin blouse, along with her matching purse made of the same pink satin material.  She beamed as she told me, “I have $41 in here.”  I had the feeling that no small opportunities for gratitude slipped by her.

Other times, gratitude is more poignant.  When my friend’s mother was gravely ill, her father commented that he was grateful he and his wife had lived a full life together and had done everything they wanted to do.

Be on the lookout for daily opportunities to be grateful, whether they are little g’s or Big G’s.

Express Your Gratitude

What have you received recently which you deeply appreciate?  Perhaps it was a personal kindness shown to you, deliverance from a difficult situation, or a simple comfort that makes a pleasant difference in your life.

In what way you would like to give thanks?  This might encompass a private acknowledgment of gratitude or perhaps a more direct gesture to another in writing, spoken word, or action.  This week, share a heartfelt expression of your personal gratitude.

“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those
who have lighted the flame within us.”
— Albert Schweitzer