Gratitude

Happy Friday, Friends!

I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious Friday morning in my Sweet Home Alabama! 😊

It is Thanksgiving week! I absolutely love this week! While I understand that we all have challenges, struggles, and obstacles in our lives, I also know that we all have people and things in our lives that are blessings. Wisdom has also taught me that the quality of the lives we live will be determined to a very large degree by which we choose to focus on! 😊 My hope with this Happy Friday is that you will choose to recognize and give thanks for the blessings in your life.

I found a very good article titled, What Is Gratitude? It was published on October 29, 2021, and was written by Kendra Cherry, MSEd. You can find the entire article here: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-gratitude-5206817

In an effort to empower you to choose gratitude, I want to share a couple of excerpts from this article.

“Signs of Gratitude

So, what does gratitude look like? How do you know if you are experiencing a sense of gratitude? Expressing your appreciation and thanks for what you have can happen in a number of different ways. For example, it might entail:

• Spending a few moments thinking about the things in your life that you are grateful for
• Stopping to observe and acknowledge the beauty of wonder of something you encounter in your daily life
• Being thankful for your health
• Thanking someone for the positive influence they have in your life
• Doing something kind for another person to show that you are grateful
• Paying attention to the small things in your life that bring you joy and peace
• Meditation or prayer focused on giving thanks”

“How to Practice Gratitude

Developing a sense of gratitude isn't complex or challenging. It doesn't require any special tools or training. And the more you practice it, the better you will become and put yourself into a grateful state of mind. Here's how to do this:

• Observe the moment: Take a second to focus on your experience and how you are feeling. Take stock of your senses and think about what is helping you cope. Are there people who have done something for you, or are there particular things helping you manage your stress, feel good about your life, or accomplish what you need to do? You may also find the practice of mindfulness, which focuses on becoming more aware of the present moment, a helpful tool.
• Write it down: You might find it helpful to start a gratitude journal where you jot down a few things you are thankful for each day. Being able to look back on these observations can help when you are struggling to feel grateful.
• Savor the moment: Give yourself time to really enjoy the moment. Focus on the experience and allow yourself to absorb those good feelings.
• Create gratitude rituals: Pausing for a moment to appreciate something and giving thanks for it can help you feel a greater sense of gratitude. A meditation, prayer, or mantra are examples of rituals that can inspire a greater sense of gratitude.
• Give thanks: Gratitude is all about recognizing and appreciating those people, things, moments, skills, or gifts that bring joy, peace, or comfort into our lives. Show your appreciation. You might thank a person to show you are thankful for them, or you might spend a moment simply mentally appreciating what you have.”

While this is great information from Ms. Cherry, I feel compelled to remind all of us that knowledge without application is just knowledge. Knowledge with application is wisdom…let’s be wise, Friends! 😊

And finally, to inspire you to practice gratitude, I want to share a few quotes I have shared over the past week.

“When you’re grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” – Daria Sanetra 

“You will never have enough until you are grateful for what you have.” – Richelle E. Goodrich 

“As I look at the man in the mirror, I find I must bow before God in speechless gratitude for not giving me what I deserved.” – John M. Sheehan

“Practicing gratitude is like turning the dimmer switch up. Things you never noticed before keep lighting up your heart.” – Kelly Corbet

“If our wants have to be met before we are grateful, we stand the chance of missing countless blessings.” – Shaun Brooks

“To better your day, every day – practice gratitude before doing anything else.” - Natalie Grace Smith

“Gratitude is a form of surrender. It is a way of saying: I am enough, I have enough, and my life is enough.” – Vanessa Autrey

“To refuse to be thankful is to incessantly focus on the few things that I don’t have at the expense of the many things that I do.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough

“Gratitude and contentment don’t stop you from pursuing your dreams; they keep your heart from trying to live somebody else’s.” – Allene vanOirschot

I want to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at any time if there is ever anything I can do for you. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious family, and stay well! 😊

Kev