Off Guard

Some seven years ago, I made a conscious decision to live a lifestyle of gratitude.  Yes, I knew how to give thanks and be thankful for things, but like most, the thanks were typically reserved for gifts, good times, and special occasions.  Now, I am thankful for all things.  I thank people for taking the time to text me, call me, hug me, share laughs, or whatever.  Each morning in my gratitude journal, I even write down being thankful for the means to have a cup of hot coffee, my workouts, my breakfast, and safe travels to the office.  If I have a conflict with someone, I am thankful for not allowing myself to shoot my mouth off or blow a fuse.  Yes, I may think sarcastic things but do not say them.  Heck, I am even thankful, well most of the time, for traffic.  If I am in the traffic, that means I was not in the accident that caused the traffic.  The biggest of all things though is that I am thankful I know how to communicate from the heart and just feel.  There was a time in my life where I shut down my feelings and held in things, but no more.

Living the gratitude lifestyle catches a lot of people off guard.  I get comments like, “How can you be thankful that someone hurt your feelings.”  My response, “Because at least I know how to feel.”  Another one is, “How can you be thankful about paying so much in taxes (Didn’t say I liked paying them mind you)?”  My response, “At least I have the funds to pay them rather than be in trouble with the IRS.” 

Overall, I just choose to find the upside in everything.  I may not always like the outcome, but I know I will always find some glimmer of gratitude in everything I do and experience.  Give it a shot my friends.