Thankful Once in a While

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” - Brian Tracy

Coming home from a trip to Boston, I read a Readers Digest article titled, "How The New Science of Thank You Can Change Your Life." The article pretty much falls in the same space as most everything I talk about in this blog. One must be realistic that life does get in the way and not everything will be perfect and wonderful. Yet to think and move in life with a more positive attitude will serve you better.

The article referenced a study conducted by Robert Emmons (University of California-Davis) and Michael E. McCullough (University of Miami). Published in 2003, the study found that people who were consciously grateful;

- felt better about their lives.
- were more optimistic.
- were more energetic.
- were more enthusiastic.
- were more determined.
- were more interested.
- were more joyful.
- exercised more.
- dad fewer illnesses.
- got more sleep.
- were more likely to have helped someone else.

Very interesting and results that can change your life. Both small things along with the big things make a difference.

Life is not nearly as bad as we tend to make it out to be. So stay inspired my friends.

Why Not Smile

"Men of action, above all those whose actions are guided by love, live forever."
- Jose Marti

All attribution to Andy Andrews for the content in this article. I truly enjoy his writing and every once in a while, I like to share some of his thoughts and ideas. After you read this article, take a few moments to follow the link provided to find out more about Andy.

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Learning How to Express Our Gratitude
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There are so many invisible people in our lives who provide services and never get thanked. You will stand out when you stop and say, "I just wanted to say thanks for what you're doing." The possessor of a grateful spirit, who gives that gratefulness to others, will not have to daily choose to be happy. It will be a conditioned effect. You'll wake up happy. You have to choose to be happy at first, but the conditioning will take over and soon you will BE happy.

How does this translate into personal, business, and financial success? Happiness leads to opportunities. Become somebody that other people want to be around. People want to be around happy people. That's why happy people receive opportunities. Opportunities translate into success.

Nobody expects you to be happy every moment of every day, but you can make a choice to smile. You will attract people in your life and when you become a person other people want to be around, you will attract their opportunities as well.

I've been asked, "What one thing can somebody do to change their life? It's going to blow your mind because it's so simple:

"Smile while you talk."

Very few people do this. Even when people tell jokes, they don't smile while they talk. Most people talk with a serious or bland expression on their face. Get in front of a mirror and learn to smile while you talk. Add a little chuckle while you're talking, and have laughter coming through in your voice, and everything will change. When you smile at people, they will smile back.

And I dare you to have people not participate in whatever it is you want them to participate in. If you want people to sign the deal or be your client forever, learn to smile while you talk. Your spouse, your kids, your neighbors, everybody will react to you differently when you smile as you talk.

Happiness is a choice and you are making that choice today. The bubbling laughter in your soul is an expression of enthusiasm, the fuel that moves the world. Your smile is the most potent weapon you have. Always remember to be the possessor of a grateful spirit, and to share that gratefulness liberally!
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So today, choose to be happy and stay inspired my friends.

Check out more on Andy Andrews. He is a great author and can help you change your world for the better.

Small Acts of Gratitude

I was reminded the other day about my son's service in the military. He spent 15 months on a base outside of Tikrit, Iraq serving in the U.S. Army. The tasks he was trained for required travel into the countryside, to smaller bases and in the training of Iraqi personnel. This exposed him as it does thousands of soldiers each day to the possible violence that can occur.

It is his service and the service of hundreds of thousands of other military personnel that are helping a country rebuild itself, for which I am thankful. The political debate can take place in other forums of discussion, yet it is in my heart to know that military personnel are simply doing their job and doing it well.

And so it is with that, I thank them. You also have a way to thank service men and women when you see them in public. A very simple and easy way is by giving the 'gratitude' sign to military personnel. It is similar to the 'thank you' sign, but many folks may have a tough time giving a 'blowing kiss' sign to the military.

In the 'gratitude' sign language, you can use both hands or a simple one-hand indication. The idea is to simply sign a non-verbal symbol of thanks to those in the military for their service. I'm thankful to my own son for his service and to the many others. I thank you for thinking of them as well.

"That best portion of a good man s life? His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love." - William Wordsworth
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