How do you grapple with the idea of gratitude? Often, being consumed with the way difficult experiences affect us, we don’t take time to be thankful for all that there is in our lives which is good.

Gratitude doesn’t come from the good or the beauty we experience or see in life, it comes from who we are. You reaction to anything is simply a reflection of you, it’s not a judgement on that thing, that person, or that event. We project ourselves onto what we see and hear.

Yesterday I felt very hurt by what someone I love dearly “did to me”. I now realise that I was projecting my hurt and my pain. I had a choice and, sadly, I chose me.

What about today? Is today a good day or a bad day, or just another day? While thinking about it, I came across this video in a post from Michael Hyatt. I had seen last year and remembered how this quote from Brother David Steindl-Rast had inspired me, so I wanted to share it with you.

You think this is just another day in your life. It’s not just another day. It’s the one day that is given to you today…. It’s the only gift that you have right now. And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.”

Maybe, if we were to go through each day with the thought that this could be our last day, last friendship, last relationship, last project, last meal, or last drive, we would have a different response to each event.

If you do nothing else but to cultivate that response to the great gift this unique day is. If you learn to respond as if it was the first day in your life and your very last day you will have spent this day very well.”

How do we begin to cultivate this response?

  1. Stop from time to time and just be present. Take the time to appreciate the moment you are in, not for what you have or how you feel but simply because you are there in the moment. (Read The Power of Now)
  2. Enumerate 3-5 things you are grateful for at that very moment. Don’t overthink it. Simply recognize them and write them down if you can.
  3. At the start of everyday take a moment to verbalize your gratitude. Be specific, go over one of the lists you have collected from the previous exercise.
  4. When you go to bed at night, contemplate on 3 things that were great about your day. Again, don’t be general. Rather than saying “I’m grateful for love today,” say “I’m grateful for the love in my child’s smile.”
  5. Post positive quotes around your house or workplace to remind to you to be thankful. Repetition is essential to forming any new habit.

Let go of the difficulties and hurt from your past, and the fears and concerns you may have about your future. Be present and it’s possible to see so much beauty and good in life now that you can’t help but be grateful.

[reminder]I’d love to hear what you’re thankful for, and I’ll tweet it! [/reminder]