You Can Always Be Happy

At work the other day, I was talking about this my gratitude website and how I was preparing for the latest post. After speakings about it for a couple minutes, a co-worker looked at me and said something that caught me off guard.

You see, I was really surprised at the response I received from him. ” I wish I was like you, but I really do not have much gratitude for anything. I’m feeling sick. I hate my job. I owe a lot of money and creditors are calling me. My girlfriend moved out. I gotta tell you… My life is the pits. What do I possibly have to be grateful for?”

My first thought was, “Wow – keep focusing on the negativity and you will just get more of it! It is a vicious cycle!” Regardless of how bad you think you have it, you can still be full of gratitude! That is right, FULL of gratitude!

One of my favorite Gratitude quotes by Buddha

“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”

(this is also my friend, Marie’s, favorite quotes as well!)

If you are stuck and cannot think of anything to list in your Gratitude Journal, start with the small things in your life. These are really what matter and will continue along with you. When someone can appreciate and show their gratitude for the “unnoticeable things” you will see the abundance you actually do have in your life. For starters:

What is the weather like by you? Is it sunny? Do you enjoy the sunshine? Do you smile when you feel the morning sunshine fall across your face and warm it up? Is it raining? Are you happy that you do not have to set up the sprinkler system to water the grass? Do you like the way the rain cleans the air and makes everything smell fresh? Even if the “weather is not cooperating with your plans” you can still find a lot in which to be grateful! Do you have shelter? Do you own your own home? Are you renting? Are you homeless and staying at a local shelter? You can be grateful for any of these. Do you have a car? Is it running? Is it a clunker? Does it get you from Point A to Point B? Is it better than having to walk? Can you save time using it? No car? How do you get from place to place? Public transportation? Do you enjoy the fact that you have someone else driving you around? Are you walking? Do you enjoy the fact that you are getting some exercise as you go to you destination? You can express your gratitude for a variety of options that may be available to you! Are you reading this? Can you see? Do you have your vision? Is this being read via a Text-To-Speech machine? Do you have glasses? Again, here is a lot for which you can express your gratitude.

You see, even if you are unhappy, you can still be grateful for many, many, many things in your life. If you start to appreciate all of these things, you will not be focusing on the negativity and all the bad things which you see.

I have written about a gratitude journal in prior posts. I highly suggest that you take this opportunity to start one if you do not have one. Try it for a week. List out those things for which you are grateful and I am sure that you will feel much better at the end a week then you do now.

As always, your comments are welcomed. Please let me know what you think about having this sort of gratitude mindset.

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru