“Sometimes we focus so much on what we don't have that we fail to see, appreciate, and use what we do have!”
― Jeff Dixon
The holiday season is an especially great time to spend a few moments to reflect on what you appreciate and are thankful for in your life. Sometimes in our busy world it is too hectic to take a "time-out" to think about this, but let me share with you why it is important for well being.
We all have a unique perception about what is important in our lives. For some, it's climbing the corporate ladder so they can better provide for themselves and their families....for others, it's helping others through volunteering, counseling or education. I have several young relatives that feel taking care of our environment "Mother Earth" is important, and they are not pursuing their life goals in a traditional, structured manner.
Regardless of what is important to you, equally important is the ability to pause, to look around at what is good in your life, and give thanks for what you have in your life--
your friends, your family, your health, your home.
The "D" Word
In our civilized and structured society, we all take so much for granted. Our expectations are high for ourselves and what we should get from our life, as if we are somehow entitled to what IT IS that we want...... we deserve a higher education, we deserve the finer things in life, we deserve a nicer home, car, boat, vacation, job, computer, the list goes on, and on and on......but do we deserve IT, or is IT the things in life that we want and it would be nice to have IT , but we necessarily don't deserve, or even need IT to be healthy and happy in our lives.
“I was angry because I had no shoes, but then i met a man who had no feet.” ― Anonymous
Ask a cancer survivor about what is important in their life, and they'll probably tell you their family, their health and their friends. Ask a child in an undeveloped third world county or a mother in a homeless shelter in our country what's important, and they will tell you warm clothing, shoes, food to feed them and their family, basic transportation and a roof over their heads.
“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough”
― Oprah Winfrey
Whatever our career, whatever our age and whatever our assets, I believe if we spend more time appreciating what we have, we will always be happier than if we don't. The trap we all face in life is always wanting more while not fully appreciating those precious and unique things we already have.
So today ....take a moment and reflect on those treasures you already possess...your family, your kids or grandchildren, your friends, your education, your job, your home or apartment, your health.
Because my friends, THAT is what will make you happy in life-- being thankful and appreciative of those things you possess that you simply cannot put a price tag on.
Please feel free to email me with your comments, stories, ideas or article or links to topics.
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