Remember to be Grateful
It only seems fitting that today, Remembrance Day, that we stop to give thanks for the men and women who fought and gave theirs lives for the freedoms in this great country. We honour those who continue to fight for these freedoms. We have one day dedicated as a reminder, yet one day doesn’t seem enough. Our gratitude for these noble acts of service should be acknowledged EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
Our children have no idea how lucky they are, but in the same token, we forget too. It’s easy to find things to complain about - the person who cut you off on the highway or the rude person at the store. In reality, our bad day is nothing compared to what those brave men and women saw and endured on the battlefield. I. CAN’T. IMAGINE. It makes any complaint that we have seem trivial.
We get so caught up in the rat race of life, running non-stop, that we forget that we are only one small part of an expansive world. We are so blinded in selfishness that we don’t consider the peacekeeping efforts happening around the world or those who are still fighting for the freedoms that we take for granted. We don’t recognize how incredibly rich our lives are.
We’ve lost sight of appreciating all the wonderful things in our lives that we do have. A small shift in perception as you go about your day can change your world. Gratitude doesn’t need to be saved up for the “big” things in life. The habit of being grateful is acknowledging that there is nothing too small to be thankful for. A beautiful sunny day, the water you drink, your morning cup of joe.
"The habit of being grateful is acknowledging that there is nothing too small to be thankful for." ~ Deborah Cherrey
When you start focussing on the good things in your life, it makes you happier. People will be drawn to you. Your relationships will improve. You start focussing on the good in people, rather than finding their faults. You will find that you are no longer drawn into conversations with the Debbie Downers. Your relationship with yourself will improve. You start building yourself up instead of tearing yourself down.
The way in which you deal with challenges will change. Finding yourself in a difficult situation can prove what you really have to be thankful for. You look a “negative” experiences and see the silver lining or lessons you are meant to learn. You are able to look at past experiences and see how they have shaped you into the person you are today.
Being grateful makes you happy. I encourage you to begin a gratitude journal and write down ten things that you are thankful for each day trying not to repeat the same items. Over time, finding gratitude in your day to day life becomes easier.
What are you grateful for?
