I am not sure why we need a special day to remind us to give thanks. Or, for that matter, a day to remind us to say ‘I love you, Mom, or Dad’. We have a day to celebrate our birth, which is a mystery to me, as we had no part in in the labor and delivery, except to finally show up in this world. Trust me, our moms did most of the work on that day. But I digress…
Some of us are better at gratitude than others. We express our gratitude to others regularly, or we keep a running list of what we are grateful for in journals, while others have trouble expressing gratitude. How can we make gratitude a more natural part of our lives?
You can start by saying thank you to people you encounter everywhere, from the stranger who holds the door for you, to the cashier at the grocery store, to the bank teller. If you are feeling really bold, say more than thank you. Include a personal comment, such as, “I love the color of your shirt. It really brings out the blue of your beautiful eyes.”
Next, make it personal with the ones you love. Instead of criticizing what your loved ones are doing to annoy you, acknowledge them for what they are doing to make your life better. Or express how they inspire you. You’ll build interest in your relationship bank, which will go a long way towards helping out when things are not so peaceful.
The point is, make gratitude something you do regularly. Besides, giving thanks to someone else is a gift to yourself. It feels great to give. It fills you with a sense of well-being that is priceless.
Here are some of the things that I am grateful for:
I am grateful to my children for inspiring me to be a good role model for them. They keep me on my toes, and call me out when I do something that feels out of alignment with my values (and theirs). I am also grateful to them for the joy they bring me as I watch them emerging as wonderful, caring, creative adults.
I am grateful to my parents for their support, no matter what path my life has taken, they love me for who I am. It has taken a lifetime to be able to say this, as it wasn’t always this way. And I am grateful that our relationship has transformed to more loving kindness.
Thanks to my clients for allowing me to guide them towards their highest most magnificent beings. I love them, and watching them sprout new wings of courage and self-confidence fills me with unbounded joy.
I am grateful for my friends, new and old. All of my relationships are different, and each friend is a precious gem to me. My friends support and love me, and their wisdom helps me make good decisions.
Thanks to my coach, Jane, for her inspiration and guidance. Jane is a living inspiration to me, as she lives her life with utmost integrity, deep commitment to her goals, and is one of the hardest working women I know. I love knowing that she is a few steps ahead, and following in her footsteps makes my journey easier.
And I am grateful to God, for so generously filling my life with an abundance of good friends, family, clients, and good parents. For the ability to live in a home, to have meaningful relationships with the most important people in my life. For a functional, creative, intelligent brain that helps me cook up ideas for my business. For the ability to be flexible and go with the flow. And for so much more.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Thank you for reading my blog, and for all your warm and supportive comments. I love hearing your thoughts. I encourage lively conversation about important topics.
What are you grateful for?
