By Bryan Golden
posted
Nov 21, 2012
Thanksgiving is much more than a big meal with family and
friends. It's a time to reflect on, and be thankful for, all of the
good things you have. Even with all of the uncertainty and turmoil
in the world, each and every one of us has much to be thankful
for.
It's important to be grateful, not just on Thanksgiving, but each
and every day.
Rather than lamenting what you feel is lacking in your life,
begin each new day by developing an attitude of gratitude. Every
morning, recharge your appreciation. Be happy for everything
there is, not upset over what you feel is missing.
If you have enough to eat, a place to live, a way to get around,
people who care about you, or people you care about, then you are
wealthy.
Focus on all positive aspects of your life and take nothing for
granted.
Dreams of the future shouldn't diminish appreciation for the
present. If all you do is concentrate on what you want, you
won't enjoy today. Don't be jealous of others; what they do or
have has no bearing on you.
You can feel bitter or resentful for a variety of
reasons. Perhaps you feel something is missing from your life,
things aren't going your way, or you have been treated
unfairly. You may wonder, "why do these things always happen
to me?"
When life's problems dominate your thoughts, you may start to
resent those who appear to be better off. If only you had more
money, more time, a bigger house, a different car, a different job,
a different boss, or husband/wife, or had picked a different
career, etc.
Once your attitude becomes one of deficiency instead of
abundance and appreciation, you can become overwhelmed by feelings
of frustration and feel like a victim. As this happens, a consuming
vicious cycle starts.
Being bitter or resentful blows situations out of proportion.
People who are bitter frequently find that their situations
deteriorate and their mental and physical health decays.
It's difficult, if not impossible, to achieve your goals while
you are bitter or resentful. Regardless of what challenges might
befall you, bitterness makes finding solutions much more
elusive.
There is no point to feeling bitter since it accomplishes
nothing, harms you and makes things worse. Filling yourself
with gratitude on a daily basis makes you feel good, while driving
out negative feelings.
Begin your practice of gratitude each morning as soon as you
wake. If it helps, make a written list of all things you are
grateful for. Read your list every day. As you do this, you
will build and reinforce your attitude of gratitude. Simply, don't
waste any time with what you feel you don't have and keep things in
perspective.
Don't be consumed by your problems, there is always a solution
and by maintaining an attitude of gratitude, you allow your mind to
devise a resolution for your circumstances.
Make everyday a day of Thanksgiving and you will be amazed how
much better your life will become.
Bryan is a self-development expert, syndicated
columnist, and professor. He is the author of "Dare to Live Without
Limits." Visit www.DareToLiveWithoutLimits.com for more
information.
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