Mother Teresa once remarked:
“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”
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Whenever I drive my car in the morning, I have gotten in the habit of recognizing at least 10 things I am thankful for before I turn on the radio.
I may express gratitude for my family, for my job, and for the beautiful morning.
I also express thanks for what has yet to happen.
I may give thanks for a safe and timely commute, for a productive project meeting that morning, and for the completion of a report that day.
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I don’t just think about what I am thankful for while I am in the car, I say it out loud.
This routine not only gets me in a positive frame of mind at the start of the day, it also gets me in the habit of expressing gratitude throughout the entire day.
I look for opportunities to give thanks for every situation I encounter by myself or with other people.
It makes for very rewarding days.
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On one occasion, I tried to count how many times I said thanks during the day.
I counted every spoken thanks in the car, every email I closed with the word thanks (which is all of them), every thank you I uttered to the person holding the door, and so on.
By 5 pm, I had said thank you at least 92 times.
I no longer try to count, but I target at least 100 expressions of gratitude every day.
When I am in a bad mood, I am stressed out, or things are not going well, I know my thank you count is well below the 100 mark.
Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude
When you give thanks throughout the day, you will not only feel blessed, you will be a blessing to others.
People love to be recognized every day for their hard work, for their patronage, and for their simple acts of kindness.
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Start your day with a grateful heart and you’ll lead others to daily victory as well!
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
(1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
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What are your thoughts? How do you maintain a grateful heart?
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Brent,
This is a really great post. I do a pretty good job of encouraging people, but I know I do not come near to saying thank you 100 times. I love how you make it a goal to thank the lord 10 before turning on the radio. That is a wonderful tip for me.
Thank you!
Pat
Thank you Pat for the kind feedback! You encourage me so you’re doing a pretty good job
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