Even at a very young age, we made sure our son was saying “please” and “thank you”. I’m a firm believer in writing that thank you note and showing gratitude all the time. When it comes to my son, I want to make sure he has the same values and understands how important it is to show others thanks.
I have learned to start small. I believe in living my life as a thank you and showing gratitude throughout the day. Years ago, I came upon a book that changed my life. One that I have read repeatedly to remind my mind and ensure I’m putting the pieces to practice. Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude changed the way I think.
It made me understand that how we look at every situation or feeling or challenge is a gift that we should be thankful for. The book made me understand that big or small, everyday life brings us a lot to be thankful for. Therefore, I do one exercise every single day. Before bed I verbally list out everything I was grateful for that day. This can be super small like, for example, I’m so grateful my husband took out the trash without me having to remind him. To really big things like I’m so grateful to have been able to watch my son take his first steps.
While pulling out the good things in your day is rewarding and will put a smile on your face, on the other hand I’m sure it wasn’t all good. So finding the lessons is another great way to give thanks. Like, thank you for showing me what patience looks like when I’m waiting for AAA in 20 degree weather for 2 hours. While this was the worst thing that probably happened that day, it certainly allows you to focus on the patience and brings you back to how you can turn all experiences into a positive lesson.
Whether big or small it really trains your brain to think about your day and give thanks to all the moments of the day. So next time you’re settling into your pillow, take one minute to think about all the things you are grateful for.
