Some people you meet always seem upbeat and positive, greeting everyone with a smile. Every time you see them, they appear happy and glad to be alive. Others may wonder, how can they be so happy and positive?
Most of us wait for something good and assume we will feel grateful then. Unfortunately, if we do not have a positive and grateful attitude now, even if something good happens, we will not automatically feel gratitude. It is amazing how we still tend to view life through our current lens even when something good happens.
For example, due to Covid, many things were in short supply and prices went up. When you went to the grocery store eggs were $5 or more for a dozen, and there were empty spaces on the shelf. Many items were well stocked, but most people were complaining about the high cost of groceries or not being able to find specific items they wanted. Today, prices for eggs have come down, and you don’t see the empty spaces on grocery shelves that you saw during Covid. However, people are still complaining about the high prices of groceries.
This is not to suggest that things are perfect or will be soon. Prices are higher than a year ago, but not as high as when we were faced with Covid. Still, I have not heard anyone say they are grateful for this fact. When we live with a need for things to be exactly how we want them, it is hard to be grateful. I have met refugees who have had to relocate multiple times due to wars and famine. And yet they express gratitude for their families, for their lives, and for an opportunity to be safe here.
Gratitude is not born of our experience or our circumstances, it is born of noticing life’s blessings. Whatever our situation, there is something to be grateful for and we can choose to possess a grateful attitude. As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s check our attitude prior to arriving at the celebration. Begin by thinking of your health, people who care about you, food, a home, a job, etc. Of course, things are not perfect, but there is still so much to be grateful for every day!
