The people I come in contact with who have the most abundant lives and are the happiest all have at least one thing in common: they are thankful. They are constantly in a spirit of thanks no matter what is going on in their lives.
Case-in-point: my mom. My mother is always thankful, and she constantly has good things happen to her. For example, when I was in middle school, my mom was working at a doctor’s office and was laid-off from her job. When she came home that day, she did not cry, take anger out on anyone, or drown her sorrows in a bottle. Instead, she stayed in a spirit of thankfulness and when she went to bed that night she gave thanks for the job she did not have. See, my mother could see past the fact that she did not have a job at that very moment. She was thankful for her family, her health, and her life. She was also thankful for the job she knew she would eventually get. She did indeed get another job. In fact, she got a job making twice as much and she only had to work a fraction of the time she did before.
The bad news is everyone is not born with a thankful attitude, but the good news is that with practice, thankfulness can be developed.
Here are four tips to live a more thankful life:
1. In Just Five Seconds
Start small by reminding yourself to stop and say thank you for just five seconds several times throughout the day. You can associate this with a task that you do routinely. For instance, every time you wash your hands, also take five seconds to say thank you. Start each morning out by saying thank you.
2. Make a “Thank Sheet”
Sit down and write down everything you are thankful for. Think of at least thirty things. This may seem like a lot, but write down even the smallest of things. You may write down air, food, water, or other minute things that are taken for granted. Whenever negative things pop into your day and cause you to start getting sad or angry, pull out this list. Keep this list on you at all times and read over it when you need to.
3. Overcome Obstacles
On another sheet of paper, write down the thing that is the biggest obstacle for you and drains the most of your energy. Think of at least five things you can be thankful for that come from this obstacle. Three examples are listed below:
Weight Loss—Many people are unhappy with their bodies and want to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a healthier and better you, but you can be thankful for the body you have in the meantime. If your obstacle is your weight, then write down five things that you are thankful for about your body. For instance, you can be thankful for the arms that pick up and hug your kids, your hands that prepare food and take care of your family, and even your toenails.
Career and Finances—If you are unhappy with your job and want to make more money, start by being thankful for the job and money you do have right now. Be thankful for the people you have met, the skills that you have learned, and the better job you will eventually be qualified for. If you currently do not have a job, then be thankful for the job that you will have.
Relationships—If there is a relationship that is suffering or missing from your life, then give thanks for the good relationships in your life. List all the family, friends, and co-workers you are thankful for. If you have endured a break-up, then be thankful for what you have learned and how much you have grown.
