My husband and I once took our kids on a week- long cruise that
sailed out of Alabama. It was on the tiniest cruise ship I'd ever seen.
Parts of it even smelled mysteriously like mildew.
However, to our kids it was glorious. As they looked out the deck
with their unlimited ice cream cones, one of them gleefully shouted,
"This is AWESOME!"
As I told a girlfriend about it, her jaw dropped and she told me,
"I have never in my LIFE heard any of our kids say, 'This is awesome!'
They are grown now, but they all learned from us how to see what
is WRONG with everything around them.
Through her regret she explained how they built their fortunes out
of nothing, but she and her husband had never learned to enjoy
any of it.
"The truth is that my kids despise me, for never rejoicing in what
they did right, but only pointing out their faults."
"We made millions of dollars but lost everything that matters."
Ouch. Her words broke my heart.
The more I work with people from all walks of life, the more I
notice something:
The happiest people have learned how to tap in to gratitude.
They look for goodness, they look for solutions. They enjoy the
fruits of their labor. In the end, even the most driven people
are seeking happiness.
Those who are thankful actually find it.
After celeberating Thanksgiving week in the USA, many will move
from thankfulness to STRESS as they begin to focus on the gap
between everything they "need" and everything they have.
Stop!
Don't Do it!
You can accomplish all your goals in a state of thankfulness. You
can truly walk in peace on earth! You can start RIGHT NOW to
have a fabulous year-end and be transformed in 2011.
Here is a start:
1. Get clear on what you TRULY want.
Most people don't remember last year's holiday gifts, but they do
remember if the day was stressful or sweet, happy or irritable.
Spend your resources on things that will truly last and be memorable.
2. Breathe deeply and stay in touch with the PRESENT.
It's so easy to rush through life and miss all the best things that
are around us. We worry about tomorrow while we stew over
yesterday. Instead try approaching each day, each hour, THIS
moment as a trained athlete. Focus on the action you have at
hand. Enjoy it. Play to win.
3. Count your Blessings
Take a moment right now and think of something for which
you are truly grateful. Take a deep breath and focus on what
is good about that thing, or that person. Start naming the
good stuff.
As you do, you will notice a change in your body. You will become
more energized and more relaxed. People pay MONEY to feel
energized and relaxed. You can do it with gratitude! Stay in that
thankful place and focus on the beauty around you.
Thankfulness – its a secret of those who are happy – and it is
the best gift you can hand down to your children, or give
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Love it! Why can’t we all enjoy the “now?”
I saw a study recently that said people who paid a few grand on a vacation vs. a few grand more on an upgrade to their kitchen or house or whatever – the people with the vacation were happier long-term because of the memories.
Thanks for the frying pan to the face today.
Cheers,
Dave
Oh man! Really? I was just about to spend some of my vacation budget landscaping the backyard! hahaha Okay you talked me into making a really memorable vacation and maybe actually teaching my KIDS to work in the yard! Thanks for chiming in Dave!