Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day!

Now this is something people should practice every day, year-round…

Yes, I know this is an American holiday, and I do have many international readers. However, I think this is an important concept in personal development.

Giving thanks…

Sometimes it is hard to do. Especially when you have so many things working against you in this life. However, did you know that being thankful is mostly a state of mind?

It has to be right? How else can someone on their death bed still give thanks for the life that they were given? Dying isn’t something to be most thankful for, now is it?

Yet, if we want to, we can find thanks in even the worst of circumstances. That’s why I wrote my article about Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning.

Here are some things that help me to give thanks…

  1. Calmness – Sometimes we are moving so fast we don’t actually think about how much we have to be thankful for. Calmness is something I practice by meditating, and deep breathing.
  2. Reminders – Each time I experience a good thing I try to pause for a second. Both to enjoy it and to remind myself that there are many good things in this life. These good things could be anything from a good meal to a hug and a kiss. We have much to be thankful for.
  3. Children – Watching children play, laugh, and do all the other things they do helps me to remember what life is about. To me it is about joy. Although finding it everyday can be hard, children seem to be able to bring that joy out of us.
  4. Enjoyment – Part of thankfulness is enjoyment. You know you have seen those people. The ones who have the ability to not enjoy anything. The ones that have the world in their hand, yet can’t enjoy it because it is never enough. Friends, let what you hold be enough, and enjoy the most out of it.
  5. Giving – Last but not least is giving. One of the most powerful ways to be thankful is to give out of your abundance. To realize that you have enough. And that you have the power to help someone else be thankful in their life. This creates the most thanks giving out of all…

I hope you enjoyed these couple of ideas on giving thanks. I would love to hear about some of the practical ways you give thanks in the comment section.

Cheers,
Jeremy

14 thoughts on “Giving Thanks”

  1. Giving thanks is something which us humans as a collective have to pay much more attention to. We are so quick to complain and criticise, and seldom acknowledge the blessings and abundance that the universe heaps on us. Thanksgiving should really be an international holiday for all people to celebrate and give acknowledgement.

  2. Give thanks to whomever you wish. We still have a lot for which to be thankful. If ever you find yourself asking what do you have that you should be thankful. Remember this: I wept because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.

  3. Yup, couldn’t agree more. And I’d like to add that you’ve got a great colour scheme on your site, I suffer with colour blindness and many webmasters don’t give us a second thought!

  4. Yes Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. This is the kind of holiday that you don’t have to be an American to celebrate. Regardless where you live, you should make a point of being thankful for what you have. It is when you don’t appreciate things that you become truly miserable.

  5. Hey,

    Giving thanks is always important and not always have to be kept for thanksgiving only. It’s great to have a thankful heart and to remember how good you really have it. It also comes along with being content with all that you have. This time of year is especially important to be thankful even when it gets very busy and stress at times.

  6. Wow haven’t been on here in a while, although this is a Thanksgiving post, just wanted to wish you a happy new Year Jeremy! Lets make 2010 the best year yet! Looking forward to the future posts.

    Till then,

    Jean

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