We live in a society where value and status are placed on material things like cars, homes, and clothes and we all dream about having more – more money, bigger homes, more cars – yet we never seem to be happy. In fact, instead of being thankful for what we DO have, we feel envious of the people who have more than us.
Being in constant competition with neighbors, coworkers, or family members can be exhausting! Eventually, you’ll lose sight of the important things in life, such as your children, relationships, and health. If you place a strong value on things, you won’t feel very fulfilled and you’ll end up creating an inner tension that will only drive you away from happiness. After all, happiness isn’t defined by the amount of stuff you collect.
I’ve been studying happiness for a bit and I’ve also been studying suffering as well. I think we can learn a lot from exploring both sides of this coin. I am currently reading No Mud, No Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh. In it he says… “…the art of happiness is also the art of suffering well. When we learn to acknowledge and embrace our suffering, we suffer much less.”. I also like this quote…
What You're Grateful For?
If you had to list what’s good in your life, right now, and you weren’t allowed to mention any material possessions, would you have a hard time coming up with the list? Do you have a hard time just being happy and grateful because you’re always longing for something bigger or better?
We all have big dreams for ourselves, but we can’t begin to work toward our goals until we accept who we are and where we’re at right now. That acceptance begins with a sincere appreciation for the life lesson’s of yesterday and the talents and skills we have today.
Sure, we all want a big house, nice furniture, big-screen TVs, better paying jobs, luxury cars, gourmet food, fancy jewelry, and designer clothes – but how can we appreciate the finer things in life if we can’t be thankful for the simple things? After all, a big-screen TV won’t matter if you didn’t have your eyes to see and your ears to hear! Of course, desiring good quality items isn’t wrong, but your focus should be on living and enjoying your life, not things.
- Expressing your gratitude doesn’t have to be reserved for Thanksgiving dinner. Share with your family why you’re grateful today and really listen to what your family says in return.
The other day my wife and I were complaining about our though days. At the end of venting I said… “okay, now what was something good that happened today?”. She shared that she felt very cute in her new dress and she liked the birds in the print. I can tell you, she looked pretty cute and I cannot tell you how blessed I am to have her in my life. We continued talking about some of our blessings and it was a nice way to turn a negative topic into a more positive one.
As I sit here typing this I am thankful for the silence I have right now. It is kind of beautiful. - Encourage your kids to dig deep in their souls to find their gratitude. Kids need to learn how to take their focus off of material items and onto influential people, positive experiences, and quality of life.
I try this with my son but can say it is a process. He gets so excited over his videos games and Lego sets. Some days he can give me good answers on the best part of his day and other times he’s stumped. That is okay because gratitude is a muscle. The more you do it the stronger it becomes.
Refocus Your Thoughts with a Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is simply a notebook where you write down everything in life you’re thankful for. It doesn’t have to take more than 5 minutes in the early morning or before bed each night. The idea is to clear your mind, reflect on the day, and see the goodness in life.
I love this quote when I think about practicing gratitude in the morning…
Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Buy or make yourself a nice, attractive journal so you’ll take care of it and will look forward to journaling everyday.
- Reflect on anything new that came your way: new friends, clients, or opportunities.
- Don’t be shy about repeating things from previous days; praising your good health and loving family never tires.
- Did a friend do something nice for you today? Did you find a lost item? Did you handle a difficult situation well? Gratitude isn’t reserved for really big things; you can be grateful for the small things, too. What about waking up. This is often overlooked, but what a gift that is.
- Periodically, go back over your journal and read all that you’re grateful for. It’ll be a great pick-me-up on especially difficult days.
Need some more help?
So several months ago I created a gratitude challenge. My purpose in life is to challenge people to become innovative leaders so that we can change the world together. What better way to change the world than helping more people find gratitude in their lives?
So if you are serious about giving gratitude a try, why not try this challenge. It is built to be a 5 day email challenge and each day I give you a little lesson and then a task to try the concept in the lesson. This can all be done in like 10 minutes and you get a new lesson and task each day for 5 days. It is easy and fun, but you will find it gives you a great kickstart to building a gratitude routine.
I also added a private group to this challenge so you can rub elbows with folks interested in finding more gratitude in their life. I can tell you when you want to add new skills like this it is always better to surround yourself by other people practicing this kind of habit and supporting you in building your habit as well as cheering you on. That is really powerful. And lastly, I have a bonus I’ll tell you about when you sign up. Trust me you will not be disappointed. So click here or the image/button below and I’ll see ya on the inside.