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Continuing from our last show: EP-29 How To Be Thankful No Matter What

It’s too easy to forget the blessings we have. We have a tendency to focus more on the negative than the positive and THAT is where we must discipline ourselves.

It takes work to be thankful. It will be a conscious decision you must make sometimes daily. Is that too much for you? Is this where you say, “I quit”?

We laid down the ground work in our last show, so here are some practical ways, that I’ve shared in counseling sessions, to practice thankfulness:

STOP!

Everything below is WORTHLESS if you’re just going to read it. I want you to be successful. That means that for you to have any success in what’s written below, you can’t just read it. You HAVE to ponder, pray, and take action on these ideas.

If you are willing to do this, then continue reading.

Get Into It!

To start your journey of thankfulness, you need to start getting in the mindset of being thankful. Everyone has TONS to be thankful for. Yes, TONS!

Right now, you are breathing, reading, smirking 😉 , processing, pondering, thinking, etc. And all that just this second! Some can’t even do that.

You can argue, “So what, Gary. That’s basic stuff that everyone can do.”

You’re right most of it is, but 1. Not everyone can do it and 2. All because we can all do it isn’t a good enough reason not to be thankful. Now, you’re just looking for reasons not to be thankful. STOP! You are being deceived with those types of thoughts! It’s all a blessing. Remember, be humble!

You must be on the hunt for things to be thankful for. (I bet your mood will improve just with this step!)

Pay Yourself

What are your good qualities? Have you ever taken an inventory? This idea isn’t meant for you to boast, but like I said, to take an inventory.

This is similar to looking at how much money you have in your pocket. The amount doesn’t matter. We just need to know where we are so we can act accordingly.

Are you a good speaker? Good with numbers? Maybe you’re athletic. Perhaps you’re a good reader. Maybe you can make people laugh and you don’t even know how you do it. Or, maybe you’re very caring. There isn’t a quality that’s too small. Remember, we just want to make a list. Why?

THIS IS THE LIST TO BE THANKFUL FOR!

[clickToTweet tweet=”You pay yourself by coming to terms that you are good at some things in life and thank God for them.” quote=”You pay yourself by coming to terms that you are good at some things in life; that you do have gifts and talents that others may or may not have. This payment is for the purpose of being thankful and not boastful.”]

Automate Thankfulness

That sounds weird, right? How do you automate thankfulness? This is where we get a little creative.

Think of things to do or places you can go that will help automate a “Thank you”.

Personally, I think the best place would be church. You are (hopefully) reminded of your salvation status (saved by grace). This, truly is the one thing to be most thankful for, and believe it or not, we constantly need to be reminded of this. Our minds are like a vessel that leaks, so we need constant reminders.

Move!

Movement gets the body going and it helps with your mood. So, yes a little exercise.

When I talk about exercise, I don’t necessarily mean going to the gym and getting a hardcore workout. I’ll even count a 20 minute walk around the block! Just move.

The idea isn’t just exercising, but getting a moment to be out of your element and get a chance to clear your mind and just be thankful for what you see.

“Lord, thank you for the street lights to be able to see at night, for cars to get us around, sidewalks to keep me safe, etc.” Why be thankful for any of that? Let me put it into perspective; most of those things didn’t exist a hundred years ago. Seriously, just think a little and be appreciative.

Hang out with people

Sometimes we need a change of mood. Believe it or not people can help change our mood to be thankful!

Introverts have the most issue with this, but they may need to realize that it’s a great way to get out of a funk and help change your perspective. Oh, and people are just another reason to be thankful.

Pay It Forward

One of the greatest things you can do is to help out or volunteer. Giving back is one of the most inspiring ways to show thank you. It amazing because others will be grateful to you as you are showing your gratitude in helping.

This is probably one of the better ideas because it incorporates many of the ideas in this article.

Follow positive social media pages

We’re all on social media, so I might as well touch on this.

Social media can end up depressing you, so why not be creative here and follow pages that are actually positive.

We usually post daily quotes and pictures to get you going. (Shameless plug below)

[social_warfare]

Journaling

Get your thoughts on paper, if you like to write. This is where you can make a conscious effort and journal all the things you’re thankful for. This is also a great archive for later if you had a bad day. Your journal can help remind you why you are thankful.

Daily List of Thank You’s

Challenge yourself daily, whether you journal, write it on the board, or tweet it. And if you miss a day, its ok. Just keep at it as it’s no different than working out. Do it often and you’ll see great results.