As we celebrate this Thanksgiving Holiday, and move quickly into Christmas mode, let’s be sure we take time to be grateful for all the good things that we experience every day. Far too often we go through life taking the important things for granted and focusing on the little things that aggravate us. We miss giving thanks for the 98% while we are consumed by the 2% of our patch that isn’t what we want. Here are some ways you might reverse that thought pattern.
Attitude is a choice. Gratitude is an attitude. We can quickly see that gratitude is a choice. So how do we make it the normal response in our day – the moment by moment way we can live a life of gratitude.
- Stop worrying about the Joneses. We spend too much time comparing ourselves with others. The real question is ‘what have you done with what you have been given’? We should not be worried about someone else, but rather how we are using what God has entrusted to our care and the gifts He has given us.
- Think about the 90% or more of the world who have a whole lot less. We are blessed well beyond what we deserve here in the USA. We could have been dealt a very different life – where over half the others who share this planet with us live on less than $2 a day. We have definitely not got anything to complain about.
- Look forward and dream. Vision is the ability to see the future. Execution is what gets us there. Accountability is the key to making sure we execute to achieve our vision. As part of HTG you have the framework for success. The only limitation is the vision. Make sure you have defined yours.
- Make it a practice. Say thank you for everything. Give freely to those in your patch. Not just stuff, but time, and most of all yourself.
- Make a list of your blessings. Set aside plenty of time because there will be a long list. Think of the obvious things – family, friends, health – but then put your thinking cap on and think of the ones you walk over every day and don’t even see them. Clean water, a toothbrush, medicine you take, a car to drive to work, coffee – the list will go on for a few pages.
- Get your perspective set on what matters – your legacy. You will leave three things in life. A record will list the facts regarding your life. History will capture your story. Legacy will be the result of how you live. Your record will eventually be erased after a period of time and it will be no more. History will be re-written to fit the time and outcome the writer desires. Only your legacy truly carries on your life forever.
- Think about the small stuff. Don’t worry about it – we shouldn’t fret the little things. But we must not ignore them either. God’s blessings often come in the form of small things that make a huge difference.
- Notice God’s creation. We drive to work every day and many other places through the week and totally ignore what we are surrounded with. Don’t miss it – take time to smell the roses and notice just how intricately God made them.
- Stop to consider what you could not have right now. Think of those who lived in previous generations, or may live just across your city, and don’t have today. We have so much to be thankful for.
- Take a read of God’s Word – the Bible – and check out the hundreds of promises He has given to us. Not only can we be grateful today, we have promises to be grateful for into eternity.
I am grateful for each and every one of you. And I am pretty confident none of us woke up hungry, slept in the street, didn’t have a bed or any heat, and don’t have to worry about where our next dollar will come from. We are blessed indeed. The response to blessing needs to be gratitude. Is your gratitude showing? If you haven’t told the people in your patch thanks today – take some time to make that investment. Gratitude is a big deal that we often give little attention to. I encourage you to change that today!
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