“Entitlement is such a cancer, because it is void of gratitude.”- Adam Smith
If you want to be a giver, the kind of person whose compassionate personality spreads a powerful glow, start with gratitude. When you’re thankful for the goodness around you, you can see life through a stronger, brighter lens that magnifies the blessings you receive daily.
To start on the journey of developing an attitude of gratitude, write down five things that you are grateful for in your life. Things that when you look at them, you realize that your life could have really been empty without them. When you do this exercise, don’t compare them to other people’s because that will distract you. Think about the air you breathe, the sunshine, the rain, your eyes, mouth, job, family, etc. This will surely change the lens through which you view life. When you do this on a daily basis, especially in the mornings, your days will be different. It is this attitude of appreciating what seems small and yet big that cultivates happiness and gratitude.
Appreciation can make a day – even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words, takes it even to a higher level. Maya Angelou said, “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” You know, gratitude unlocks all that’s blocking us from feeling truthful, authentic, happy and vulnerable. Though gratitude doesn’t change the scenery, it merely washes the lens you look through so you can clearly see the colours.
You should always be grateful for the things you have. Thankful for the things, big and small that fill your life and make it special.
With the hustle and bustle of modern day life, too many people get it backwards. They decide they will be grateful when they get: a promotion, a new job, a home, a new car, a raise, gifts or other tangible things from people they know. It is this backwardness that steals our joy in life.