Living In Gratitude: Most of all, be thankful

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Take time to reflect, write in your journal or post on Facebook.

 

In what ways were you kind, thoughtful, genuine and thankful today?

  • Allowing the person with one item to go ahead of me in line.
  • Leaving secret, sweet notes for my spouse/partner/kids.
  • Letting my coworkers know how much I appreciate their talent.
There are many ways to show and express kindness, thoughtfulness and appreciation. Look for opportunities each day to let those around you know and feel your genuine gratitude.

The Science of Happiness: An Experiment in Gratitude

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What makes you happy? Have you ever wondered why? Sit back and enjoy this video experiment on what makes people happier.

Take time each day to say thank you, to appreciate all of the things and people in your life. Science shows, thankful people are happiest!

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Gratitude Helps Children Grow

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…if you live feeling like

Your glass is half empty, well,

It may as well be empty all the way.

~Mattie J.T. Stepanek, Journey Through Heartsongs

The word “appreciation” means really seeing something for what it is – having an awareness of how special, how lucky, how unique, how blessed, how big, wonderful or awesome something is. Appreciation is a recognition not based on comparison, but based on the intrinsic value, character or immensity of a thing, action or person.

Some people are born “appreciators”. They value the essence of everything – the beauty of a sunset, the fragile green of a leaf, the boundless energy of a small child. Others must learn to see the beauty and wonder in the world.

Teaching children the value of appreciation is so important. It opens the heart, giving them a sense of belonging, a sense of community. Gratitude opens children up to the awareness of what others provide. Helping children grow an ‘attitude of gratitude’ can begin at a very early age. Read more

The Most Memorable Give You’ll Ever Give

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Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it ~Ralph Marston

Have you ever wanted to give a friend, significant other, family member, teacher or co-worker a very special gift to express how much they mean to you but were at a loss to find the perfect present?

Here it is! A Gratitude Gift Journal.

A one-of-a-kind, heartfelt present that’s simple to create. Odds are, it will be treasured as one of the best — or maybe even the best — gift your special someone has ever received.  Read more

Optimism VS Pessimism…Or Somewhere In Between

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Never go to excess, but let moderation be your guide. ~Marcus Tullius Cicero

There is something to be said for moderation.  When it comes to the debate of optimism VS pessimism, many of us fall on one side of the fence or the other. Sometimes, we may even bounce back and forth, depending upon the situation.  Read more

Forgive & Let Go

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At one time or another, and probably more than once, we’ve all felt we were owed an apology that never came. And when that happens, it is all too easy to hold tight to the pain, letting resentment and anger build.  Our relationship with the person who failed to ask for forgiveness begins to deteriorate.  We say to ourselves, “Well, they didn’t say they were sorry, so why should I forgive them?  Ultimately, we make a choice to be mad at them.  This anger builds until eventually, what we once shared or liked about that person ceases to exist.

Has anyone else had this happen to them, or is it just me?

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Everyday Heros

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There is a very special breed of person that holds our nation together:

Everyday Heroes.

Each and every day, firefighters, teachers, medical professionals, professors, and police officers risk their lives and give so much back to our community.

And there are many other unsung everyday heroes who make the world a better place using generosity, kindness, peace, forgiveness, and encouragement or through sharing their talents of teaching, creativity and insightfulness. And others find ways, despite all obstacles, to live life to the fullest and bring incredible optimism to those around them. Read more

Some Days, It’s Not Easy To Be Grateful

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To say we feel grateful is not to say that everything in our lives is necessarily great. It just means we are aware of our blessings. ~Dr. Robert Emmons

There are times when feeling grateful is really tough. Many things can have us looking on the downside rather than counting our blessings.

  • A loved one is ill or passed away.
  • We lost our job.
  • The car breaks down.
  • We’re having financial woes.
  • Our favorite sports team lost the playoffs.
Tough times, when faced with honesty and courage can make us better, stronger, wiser people.  Read more
Violin

Make The Best Of Things

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Throughout our lives, we are presented with opportunities. How we view these situations and what we do with them is our choice. At times, we may feel an opportunity is more of an obstacle.

In the story below, famous violinist Itzhak Perlman reaches into himself to create beautiful music with what is available to him at that very moment. His situation illustrates how we all have the chance to create and contribute even when circumstances are not the best.

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World renown violinist Itzhak Perlman was stricken with polio at the age of four. He eventually recovered and learned to walk with crutches. Today, he uses crutches, leg braces or an electric scooter for mobility and plays the violin while seated.  Read more

Gratitude: Coming Home To Happiness

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It’s easy to grow accustomed to the many things and people that support us in daily living. Sometimes I find myself complaining about what is lacking and forget to see and appreciate all the goodness in my life.

Recently, the cables were down in my neighborhood for a whole day. I had no access to the Internet. Can you imagine?! At first, I didn’t know what to do with myself. How many times have I put “Internet connection” on my gratitude list? Never. It’s there now. (See journals below.)

Gratitude is one of the practices that leads to contentment, happiness and abundance. One of my favorite stories that illustrates gratitude is about Nasreddin, a legendary Sufi jester said to have existed during the Middle Ages.

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One day Nasreddin saw a man sitting in a shadow of gloom, face in his hands. The man looked so forlorn that Nasreddin stopped, hoping to be able to console him.  Read more