Do you spend money on
luxury items like Smartphones, gaming systems, the Internet, cable or satellite
television, and going out to restaurants? When you cannot download the latest
application fast enough, or the newest gaming system you want is out of stock,
or your Internet provider goes down for a few minutes, or your cable TV (with
over 300 channels) does not have "anything" you want to watch, or the
restaurant did not get your food out fast enough to you, do you get annoyed or
anxious? If this is you, this article is
especially for you.
Canadian-American
author, Harry A.
Ironside, once said that you would worry less if you praised more. That
really is the truth. If you really took
the time to be more thankful for
those around you and the little
blessings in your life, you would start to accumulate a wealth of love
and kindness in return. Half the worry we create for ourselves is usually
about the things we do not have or the things we feel that we lack. Ironically,
when you praise every detail of your
life, you stop dwelling on the things you do not have. It is a good feeling not
having the anxiety about things we cannot change or cannot always have. It is
an even better feeling knowing that we have so many wonderful things right in
our lives that many do not have.
Imagine a
world away (and in some cases, in our own communities) where entire families do
not have roofs over their heads, or where starvation is not a fear but a
reality. The hard truth is that you have so many extraordinary blessings in your life that sometimes you forget to
give thanks. I am guilty of it, too. I get caught up in projects and forget to
acknowledge the importance of those around me and the smallest gifts that I too, sometimes take for
granted. But I also realize that there is a time and a purpose for everything
and everyone, and that is why I make time (even when I get "too
busy") to show my gratitude. I
also know that when I do show my
appreciation, my anxiety levels drop, my heart becomes lighter and my
shoulders feel like a weight has been lifted from them. It is amazing what a
little gratefulness can do every now
and then.
For a few minutes, I want
you to reflect on the a time you
really took a few minutes to appreciate your life and those who are in it. Yes,
I am talking about your friends, your family, your coworkers, and your community.
What have you done to give back and
to give thanks to those who have
loved you and cared for you even when you did not think of them? How many times
have you truly looked at all the essentials you have in your life that others
could only dream of having in their own lives? When was the last time you praised your child for simply being a blessing to you? Or when can you
remember the last time you hugged your mom or dad? How many people do you know
who no longer have parents, or could never have a child? You are indeed very blessed.
When you learn to be more thankful, you find
that worries fall to the wayside and that people and the blessings you may
often take for granted make the
difference.
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