Today, pick at least one thing you take for granted and express gratitude for it being part of your life. What or who is it?
I can hear it now…Who has time for this? We all do. It’s just a matter of shifting our thoughts from ourselves to the outside world.
How about the toothpaste when brushing your teeth. Today, while brushing say, “I appreciate the person who invented this, makes it and delivers it to the store who sells it to me, so I can have clean teeth.”
When sitting down to eat a meal, think about and express your gratitude for all the steps and help from people near and far that make your meal possible. It’s a long list. Chew your food and really taste what you are eating. Thank the seeds, the growers and the producers who help get food to the stores so we can buy it and create delicious things to eat – or help the team at your favorite takeout to prepare it for you.
Gratitude – and expressing it – is simply a matter of shifting our thoughts from ourselves to the outside world. To the contributions people make to help us live our lives. If you’re feeling taken for granted, try expressing your gratitude. Thank people with a smile on your face and notice their reaction. Instead of chewing out the customer service rep who is there to help you and had nothing to do with your issue, express your appreciation for having them take your call and help you resolve (or try to resolve) your issue. Notice how the dynamic shifts from one of anger and resentment to one of gratitude and appreciation. It’s this amazing calming effect that when multiplied can make a dramatic shift in our daily lives, in how we view the world, and most importantly, in how we view ourselves.