Tonight after I realized I had plugged the crockpot into a 220 volt rather than 110 volt electrical outlet was a good reminder that I am not perfect. I couldn't believe my eyes, how could I have done such thing? I thought I would never do what I did today because I could have easily caused a short circuit but after feeling so frustrated for what I had done totally by accident, I realized that after all, I am human. I also felt so thankful that I caught the mistake in time so that nothing worse happened like the beans splattered everywhere and the dish broken up in tiny pieces or worse, what if the kitchen the new kitchen had caught fire so I am so grateful, it only ruin the crockpot.
Gratitude is an
amazing thing. Gratitude can turn any negative into a positive. The
fastest way to FEEL happy is to BE thankful. Taking a moment to consider all
the blessings that are in your life can help tremendously to put everything
into proper perspective; and it is proper perspective that will help you
through the toughest trials and challenges in life. It is easy to get so
busy with things that we forget to take time to be thankful. A few years
ago I came across a great article that gave suggestions on things you can do to
help you be more thankful. I kept a copy of the article but it didn’t
list the author’s name. It is a great article and one well worth sharing.
I hope it inspires you the way it inspired me.
Things You Can Do To Help You Be More Thankful
Relax.
It’s hard to cultivate a sense of gratitude when you’re angry, frustrated, or
anxious. If these are issues that you struggle with, it’s important to resolve
them, as they’re formidable barriers to thankfulness.
Live in the
moment. If you’re too busy dwelling on the past or thinking about the
future, you won’t be able to fully notice how fantastic things are right now. Plus, thinking about the past and future
opens the door to comparison, which is the only way you can perceive something
as not good enough. What you have now is all that exists, and comparing that to
something that doesn’t exist anymore (or yet) is an easy way to foster
dissatisfaction and torture yourself. Like the old saying goes “Past is
History, Future is a Mystery and Today is Gift and hence it is called the
Present”. Enjoy today, this moment and don’t postpone your enjoyment.
Start with your
senses. The most basic pleasures in life are usually accessible to us all the
time, but they slip out of our consciousness because we get so used to them.
Learn to notice the little things, and deliberately appreciate them:
Look around.
Notice beautiful shapes, colors, and details. Notice things you normally take
for granted, like sunlight reflecting off someone’s hair. Think of all the
little things you’d miss if you were blind. It’s often the most minute joys
that are missed the most.
Smell the
roses. And the food. And the air. Recognize the smells that make you feel
good: a freshly cut lawn, the air right after it rains, a fresh pot of hot
chocolate.
Savor your
food. Eat slowly. Don’t just gobble and chug. Identify flavors. Appreciate how
they intermingle. Take notes from wine enthusiasts; they know how to enjoy the
subtlest of flavors.
Appreciate the
sense of touch. How do leaves, blankets, lotions feel against your skin? How
many times during the day do people touch you affectionately, and you barely
notice?
Listen to more
than music. Listen when you think it’s quiet, and you’ll discover it’s not
really all that quiet. You might hear the wind, leaves rustling, kids laughing
Cherish any
kind of lightheartedness in your life. Things like laughter, affection, and
playfulness are fleeting. Once a relationship has degraded so that those things
don’t spontaneously occur anymore, it’s very hard to get them back. You might
know that from experience. So treat those moments with care (especially with
kids, who are at the peak of lightheartedness). Don’t be the person who takes
life too seriously, who doesn’t have time to have fun, or who has no sense of
humor.
Keep a
gratitude journal. Challenge yourself to write down five new things every day
that you’re grateful for. It’ll be easy in the beginning, but soon you’ll
discover that you have to increase your awareness to keep on.
———————-
I loved those
ideas! And I do believe that focusing on being thankful will help us to
feel happier in our lives. I hope everyone had a great weekend. I did because it was a holiday here in the Philippines.
I hope everyone has a fabulous week ahead. My goal this week is
to remember to be thankful each day for all the blessings in my life.
Con amor,
Vero
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