What are you grateful for?

“Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”

—Henry Ward Beecher

At no other time in the history of the United States have we had as many distractions, with 24-hour news cycles, and social media, and impeachment hearings, and… With all of this going on, it can be difficult to feel grateful or garner a moment of peace.

On the other hand, Americans enjoy a standard of living never experienced before in our country. We have low unemployment and a strong economy. Even our poorest have more than those in third world countries. Also, at this time of year we are reminded about brotherhood and charity, reaching out to those who are alone or in need. Let’s not forget, too, that in the Christian tradition we are preparing for the arrival of the birth of a child named Jesus. Those who are strong in faith around the world can find a special comfort at this time of year. When we are struggling to feel grateful, if we take a breath and realize all the good we have in our live, despite whatever turmoil may be going on around us, we will find there is always something to have gratitude for. We must hold on to that. The more we focus on gratitude, the more it will grow.

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto the mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

—Matthew 17:20

There is a dark and light side to everything. Is the cup half empty or is it half full? When I work with my clients, I introduce the concept of being consciously grateful as a strategy to help quickly change their perspective.

Here’s a quick exercise;

Within the next 60 secoonds, write down as many things in which you are grateful for. Now stop. How do you feel?

With gratitude,

Dave