At this time of year, I’d like to ask: how often do you truly give thanks for everything in your life? How often do you appreciate and treasure each day? I love the quote “Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I’m just thankful that thorns have roses.”
So much of life is push and pull – giving and receiving – and some days may even seem unbearable. On days like this, it helps to take a calming breath and think about what things are going RIGHT. What’s good in the world?
At bedtime, I like to look back on my day and think about the wonderful experiences I’ve had. It’s easy to dwell on the disappointments - what things I could have done differently, how I may have used some poor judgment with something I said. Instead, I try to only concentrate on everything I’m grateful for. My rule is to think of at least 3 things and usually I can easily remember 9 or 10. Then any negativity is washed away. It’s so important to share our gratitude, love, and appreciation for our blessings and to share the joys of just our everyday life.
I also like to do this in the morning. It helps me start out my day in such a positive way, with a renewed outlook. I sometimes become overwhelmed by unconditional love and health. I think about how urgent it is to reach out to the people suffering in the world and how we need to spread the message to heal our communities and planet, to help us find a way - not with war but with understanding and love.
We can be thankful for everything around us. We can even find something positive in the situations that somehow didn’t go the way we intended for them to go. I believe there’s a reason for everything. We must keep our eyes and hearts open to all the miracles surrounding us. All we need to do is look for them.
So at the end of the day, try to remember to ask yourself, “What am I thankful for and in what ways did I reach out to help someone today?” Keep in mind that gratitude shines a light on the personal miracles in our own lives.