I was thinking about the idea of thankfulness and how it seems no one every says "Thank You" anymore, or if you say it, they look at your like you are weird. I make my kids say "Thank You" all the time, not just so they have good manners, but so they can cultivate thankfulness. Because just like I wrote about practicing the art of love, I believe thankfulness is an ongoing process and an active choice. You can choose to be thankful or you can choose not to be, but in my experience, people who practice thankfulness are happier people. And I think the world would be a way happier place if more people did choose to be happy.
This is one way I try to cultivate thankfulness and it is based off a way to help cultivate a prayerful life. Obviously as a writer, I like the written word for many reasons, but I think looking at a list you have written helps to reinforce what you are trying to cultivate. So this is the steps I take..
T- Take time to reflect on your blessings, really think about all the good and positive things you have.
H-Make a Hierarchy of your blessings, from smallest to biggest, even if it is you are just glad you got your 4 year old potty trained! Own It.
A- Acknowledge your blessings, for me it is through prayer -it can be you simply thanking whoever has blessed you.
N-Make it a Nightly routine. I am a night owl, so night is best for me. Just make it a routine, even if it is in the morning.
K-Keep a list of your blessings with the date, so you can go back and reflect on them when you are not feeling like you currently have any blessings.
S-Share your blessings. Pay it forward. Bless someone else with a kind word or a card or a phone call to someone you haven't spoke to in a while.
Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:21
Next week I will continue with the theme of Thankfulness with sharing one of my favorite and first bible verses I learned.
Comments