So, I should probably explain the whole "Today I am thankful for..." tidbits that I've been including at the end of my posts lately.
In my never-ending quest for knowledge, I recently came across an article entitled "Count your Blessings for Happiness" (included below) and it got me thinking. I truly have so very much to be thankful for in my life. I am blessed in many ways...some obvious, like the fabulous husband and the wonderful home, and some not so obvious, like the care and compassion that I carry in my heart each day and the desire to help others that I feel deep inside. But, my life is in no way without its trials and tribulations. I have struggles and tough times just like everyone else. And, much like everyone else, it gets really easy to focus on those "bad" things and forget about all the great things that touch my life each and every day. When you take a step back and really examine things, the "bad" things really aren't so bad, and they certainly pale in comparison to the magnitude of the good things. So, I have vowed to myself to pour my energy and focus into the good things, because it is those good things that are at the core of my happiness and define my imperfectly perfect life.
Today I am thankful for my unending desire to learn and experience as much as I possibly can. There is always opportunity for growth and improvement, and I will never stop trying to live the best and fullest life I possibly can.
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This is an excerpt from 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life by David Leonhardt
"Count Your Blessings" for Happiness
Have you ever bought a new car? Remember the pride you felt and the excitement when you made the choice? When you signed the papers? When you drove it off the lot? Do you remember that "new car smell"? Then something happened. Where is that pride today? Where is that excitement now? What happened to that "new car smell"?
Simple. You stopped counting your blessings. When you bought the car, it was a step up. Perhaps it was a better car. Or a bigger car. Or simply a car that would spend less days on the hoist. You were grateful. You were appreciative. You were counting this blessing. It does not take long for a new blessing to be taken for granted. And the new car becomes just another thing in your life that you take for granted.
Consider this incredible set of statistics:
99% of people in the developed world take shelter for granted.
99% of people in the developed world take breakfast for granted.
99% of people in the developed world take lunch for granted.
99% of people in the developed world take dinner for granted.
99% of people in the developed world take clothing for granted.
At the risk of sounding trite or glib, most people in the developed world take cars, televisions, computers, vacations, toasters, freedom of speech, paper clips and thousands of other conveniences for granted. In fact, a TV remote control that requires a battery change or a web page that takes more than five seconds to load are considered serious irritations. Who is happier, the person grateful to be able to change those batteries and wait for that web page? Or the person grumbling about the time it takes and the inconvenience and the bother and why can't things work better? (Why don't they make things like they used to? Why does the lineup have to be so long? Why is it so cold outside? Why do I have to go to work today?)
Of course you have every right to complain any time you choose. Nobody wants to take away your right to be unhappy. But I would love to take away your unhappiness, if you are willing to take action. Math is not everybody's strong suit. This is where "counting your blessings", simple and even corny, is not as easy as it sounds. Our knee-jerk reaction is to complain, to grumble, to be frustrated, to feel almost offended when things don't work out "perfectly", just the way we want them to. Imagine poor God, sifting through the millions of prayers he receives daily. Despite the cornucopia of blessings we receive, I am willing to bet that he receives ten times more "Gimmee" prayers than "Thank you" prayers.
Counting our blessings in this day and age of entitlement is not as simple as it sounds, and it sure is not easy to do. In fact, billions of dollars of advertising conspire to reinforce the belief that whatever we have is not good enough and that we deserve better. Who is there to tell us we have enough? Who can help us feel happy with what we have? You. Only you.
Are you ready to give up your own natural knee-jerk reaction and choose to be happy? You can have all the confidence in the world, but if you do not actively feel grateful for the fruits of your confidence, it will not bring you happiness. You can have immaculate health, but if you do not think about how wonderful that is, it will not bring you happiness. You can smile, build friendships, achieve success, win the lottery, or do whatever you desire, but if you are not saying every day, "Wow! This is wonderful. This is grand. I am the luckiest man (or woman) alive because of this," don't expect it to bring you happiness.
Yes, there is a secret to happiness. The secret is gratitude. The secret is appreciation. Or, as I call it in Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness, the secret is to count your blessings.
