Count Your Blessings

“Count your blessings, name them one by one”, I’m sure many of you remember this line from a years ago church hymn.   With Thanksgiving coming up this month, let’s take a moment to focus on thanks!  My hope is that it will be much more than just a moment of focus and will instead turn into a daily habit.

Why is focusing on what we are thankful for and blessed with important? 

First, when we focus our thoughts on what is going right and what we have been blessed with, it will lower stress levels and help us feel better!

Second, when we focus on all of the things in our lives that we are thankful for, it draws more of those things to us.  It is remarkable how this happens.  Much like self-fulfilling prophecy when we think about and focus on all of the goodness in life we will see more and more of it coming our way.

I have had people tell me that other than their family they have nothing to be thankful for.  At that point, I kindly challenge them to expand their thankfulness.  Do they have hot and cold running water?  A roof over their heads?  A bed to sleep in?  Do they have a body that works?  Organs that keep them alive?  Do they have food and water?  Just those few items of thankfulness are more than millions of people in the world have.

What else?  Do we see beauty in nature?  Do we have the ability to earn income?  Do we have all of our senses that enrich our days – sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell?  Do we have clothes and shoes?

You get the idea.  There is SO MUCH to be thankful for!

How can you implement thankfulness into your every day?  We have no problem focusing on things that aren’t going well or things that we assume aren’t going to go well.  What if we pivoted just a bit to put some of that mental energy into noticing and feeling thankful for all of the things that are working and are going well.  I promise it will make a difference! 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  Make it more than a one-day celebration.  Make it a lifestyle!