Gratitude: The Game Changer

 

Do you ever feel like a loser? I do. Sometimes I fumble the ball, and the cares of life pile up. Or maybe I just can’t get my head in the game.

You’ve heard the old expression, “Don’t believe everything you read.” How about this one? “Don’t believe everything you think.”

For most of us born in a fallen world, our thought default mode is set on negativity. We imagine the worst that can happen. We remember criticism longer than praise. We berate ourselves more than we would a friend. The switch to positive thinking requires intentional effort.

The best way to retrain your brain is to show gratitude. You can’t always change your circumstances; but, what you can change is your perception of those circumstances.

Try this. Buy a 100-sheet, wide-ruled composition notebook. Draw a red vertical line down the center of each page. Write numerals 1 through 25 down the left margin and 26 through 50 down the middle line. Flip over to the back of the first page, and draw another middle line. Number 51 through 75 down the left margin and 76 through 100 down the middle. Then, at the end of each day, use blue ink to write down five things for which you are thankful.

You might begin listing big things like your family, your friends, your health, your home, or your country. But with time, you’ll zero in on smaller, more specific blessings such as a sunny walk in the woods with my husband, the fragrance of fresh basil, finding a good space while street parking in town, receiving all my luggage at baggage claim, or eating a delicious bowl of chicken tortilla soup. When you fill up one page, draw another middle line and continue numbering consecutively. By the time you complete the notebook, you will have recorded 10,000 reasons for your heart to sing!

One of my favorite passages about thankfulness comes from a book published nearly 300 years ago. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life is not an easy read, but I’ve squeezed out the nectar.

GAME ON!

I’ve just discovered how to access the comments section under my blog. (Welcome to the 21st Century, Mona.) I’d love to hear from you!

Watch for my next entry on December 16th. Please ask your friends and family members to subscribe. To attract a publisher for my book, I must first build a social media platform. I need your help. Thank you!