On being a more thankful person....where to begin?

People often ask, "HOW? How can I become a more thankful person?" People with a strong sense of gratitude, love and appreciation don't necessarily have more than others; they aren't, by any stretch of the imagination, luckier than anyone else. They simply recognize and see more beauty in their lives.This isn't an easy habit to start. Our generation likes to focus on the bad, the burdens, other people's misfortunes, and their own burdens or bad luck rather than seeking and recognizing the good in their lives. People who count their blessings rather than always focusing on their burdens are generally happier and healthier than people who don't. If you ever feel as if things in your life just aren’t enough, or the 'bad stuff' always seems to find you, try practicing an attitude of thankfulness. You might realize how good you have it after all. And who knows, a smile just might find a permanent spot on your beautiful face! I was pleasantly surprised while 'creeping' on Facebook today. One of my dearest friends posted a status about how their day didn't start off so well, they had water in their basement (not just a little either) due to the monsoon of rain we've been having the past how many days. She was feeling annoyed by the inconvenience of the situation, but rather than become all 'whoa is me' about it, she turned it into, "Going to try and make the best of this situation.". Made me smile to see, for sure!!

But How?  Well, here’s a good little starter guide that I hope truly helps you.

• Relax. It's hard to create a sense of gratitude when you're angry, frustrated, or anxious. If these are the areas in your life that you struggle with, it's important to free yourself of them, as they are most definitely barriers to thankfulness. Figure out what has you so uptight, decide if there is ANYTHING you can do to remedy the situation. If there is, do it! Don't wait! If there isn't, accept that the situation is there, accept that it is out of your control, and then let it go. Don't dwell on it.
• 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. I saw something to this effect on a friend’s Facebook page yesterday, which prompted me to try to put together some sort of Think Thankfully Guide. I believe it is so true! We cannot change the past and we cannot adequately plan for a future in which we know not what might happen, so all we can do is live in the here and now!!! Constantly worrying, thinking about the past and future opens the door to comparison, which is the only way you can look at something as not being good enough. 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. Be thankful you were given a chance at this glorious day!!
• 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. If you follow me on Facebook, you will see that many times, the things I am most thankful for have to do with one or more of my senses. What I saw, what I heard, what I smelled, what I felt, what I tasted in that particular day. Learn to notice the little things, and deliberately appreciate them. Speak them out loud the moment you felt thankful for it. “MMMMMM, that steak on the grill tasted delicious! I’m thankful to have had such a wonderful meal!” or “I’m so thankful for the way the air smells when it is about to rain.” Or “ I love the sound of the birds chirping and the breeze blowing through the tree leaves.” By speaking them out loud, you are opening yourself up for all kinds of thankfulness to flow right into your heart and mind!!!!!
• Recognize the childlike wonder inside of you! Things like laughter, affection, and playfulness are fleeting. Treat those moments with care and acknowledge the moments you haven’t necessarily “acted your age”, which might I add there is nothing wrong with!!! Don't be THAT person, the one who takes life too seriously, who doesn't have time to have fun, or who has no sense of humor. Be thankful for your moments of silliness, your spontaneous side, your ability to splash through rain puddles and laugh about it!!!!

and

• Keep a gratitude/thankful journal.  This was how the birth of Think Thankfully happened. When I was at my lowest, I looked around me and realized I had more to be thankful for that to be upset about. I began to ‘journal’ my daily thankful happenings via my Facebook page. It quickly became a nightly ritual that others looked forward to reading. Now, a year and a half later, I am still practicing the habit that started in October 2011 and have branched it out to this blog and a new Facebook page, Think Thankfully! 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. Sometimes I sit and have to really dig deep to come up with things in my day that I was thankful for, but I’ve always said, if I cannot find SOMETHING, just ONE THING even, in my day that I am thankful for, then I did something wrong in my day, because there are things to be thankful for in each and every day.

I hope this has helped some of you get started on your own path to thankful living!

Make it a great day, my friends, and as always, Think Thankfully!!!!