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3 Steps to Thankfulness

3 Steps to Thankfulness

Walking into the bathroom today, I thought to myself, I don’t need the light on, but am so thankful I have the option. I glanced at the garbage can and thought, “I am so thankful that my son emptied it”. As I stepped into the shower, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for the running water, the abundance of soaps and sprays, clean fresh towels, and of course deodorant. After my shower was over and I exited the bathroom, I thought about how thankful I was feeling, and then thought about how often I am not cognizant enough of the huge abundance of blessings in my life. SO, I thought I would share with you 3 Steps to Thankfulness.

Truthfully, some days it is easier than others to be thankful. I know that I am always genuinely thankful, but I am not always acting in thankfulness. For example, there is never a day that I am not thankful for my home and family. But there are days that the house is not as clean as I would like it to be, and the hot water heater goes out, and the curtains need washing. And I always am thankful for my family, but there are times that my teenagers, well um, I am not always outwardly thankful for my teenagers.

I want to be living in thankfulness

Regardless of how I feel now, I am always genuinely thankful for the things that I have in life. Because of that, I want to be living in thankfulness, not allowing it to be pushed aside because of momentary feelings. And I want a long-term commitment to being truly thankful for all that I am blessed with, even on the hard days.

So, I put together three steps that I find help me to operate in a mindset of thankfulness. These steps do not need to be used in any order, but rather should be reminders to us to be actively engaged in the practice of thankfulness.

Quote by Doris Day

Identify what you are truly thankful for in life.

Sometimes this is easier, and sometimes it is more difficult, but it is always worth it. When I am having a particularly hard time being thankful, I find it helps to take a minute to identify what I am thankful for, right at that moment. For instance, today, I am getting ready to go out of town. I have literally 52 things to do on my list before I leave, but I still can identify things that I am thankful for, in spite of the craziness.

This is what my immediate list looks like today:

I am Thankful that My Mom took the dogs to the vet, and I didn’t have to.

I am Thankful that my son Manny gave my son Gabe a ride home today which saved me time.

And, I am Thankful that Gabe came home and vacuumed, swept, and washed windows without being asked.

I am Thankful for the free rental car upgrade, and that it is a hybrid which will save on gas and is better for the environment.

I am Thankful that the house is quiet for this 1-hour period, so I will be able to get more done.

Finally, I am Thankful to be leaving on this trip to be able to spend the weekend with an amazing group of women.

The list could go on and on. In this hectic moment, I, just a little bit, want to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Instead I am taking time to think about Thankfulness, and in a very specific form.

What would be on your list of immediate things you are thankful for today? You, of course, could identify longer term thankfulness such as relationships, family, a job you love, your home. Truly, it is taking the time to identify things that you are thankful for  in your life. And yes, even just this step improves your outlook.

3 Steps to Thankfulness

Keep reminders present of what you are thankful for in life

I find that sometimes, amid difficult stress, it is a challenge to reflect on thankfulness, but maybe that is when we need it the most. I have many reminders of things all around me. Some are intentional, and some are random, all are important. For instance, in my car visor, I keep a picture of me with my granddaughter. I am not a fan of running errands, but when I get in the car, pull the visor down, I am reminded of what an amazing blessing it is for me to be a grandma. It really changes my mindset.

On what used to be my vision board over my desk, I now have an art exhibit from my kids and grandkids. It reminds me that my vision for the future is more time with family, and motivates me to get my work finished to gain those extra moments.It also reminds me of how thankful I am that I have a large family of amazing and unique people.

I also keep lists and am a list maker from way back. I can remember making lists when I was around 7, so probably, I started when I learned how to write! LOL. But, on good and difficult days, I like to write out the things that I am thankful for. Then I can keep the list for when I need it. Some people find journaling very useful in this capacity. For me, lists are my journal. But as long as you are finding ways to remind yourself of the wonderful life you truly live, your thankfulness will flow from it.

Thankfulness

Take action with your thankfulness, as often as possible.

Finally, take action on your thankfulness. A great way to do this is to verbalize it.  Speak it out! This could be telling someone you are thankful for them or something they have done. And it could be posting on social media about something cool that you appreciate. Or even going old school and sending a Thank You card. I love sending and receiving cards. There is something so tangible about holding a thank you note in your hand, reading the words, and feeling thanked. I love it! And of course, when we take the time to verbalize it, to put in on social media, or to send a card, we are reinforcing that thankful feeling within out selves as well as sharing it.

If you need more ideas of giving thanks, check out this post on 30 Days of Giving Thanks for ideas!

What are you thankful for?

These three easy steps should help you to be intentional about living a life filled with thankfulness. And this in turn will continue to build up your well of joy!  So, what are three things you are truly thankful for today? How do you express your thankfulness to those in your circle? And how do you remind yourself to be thankful on a regular basis? Share in the comments below and inspire all of us to be more thankful for the things in our life.

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