It's Thankful People Who Are Happy

Love this sign!

 

So true in my opinion.  So how do you become a Thankful Person?  Make a decision!  Seems simplistic I know but it really is a matter of making a decision.  A famous quote by Abraham Lincoln states; “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be,” .  What I like about this quote is that it says "most folks" leaving an exception for those that suffer from clinical depression (according to some reports this is something that Lincoln himself suffered from)

But back to the central point, "most folks will be about as happy as they make up their minds to be".  So how do you make up your mind to be happy?  I think the easiest way is to make up your mind to be a Thankful Person.  Let me give you a really easy way to do it.  Then you only have to decide to do it.

 

My wife and I once went to one of Tony Robbins 4 day events in Chicago.  We did the barefoot fire walk and everything.  That's right, we both walked barefoot over a 20 foot bed of glowing hot embers.  Pretty cool.

Now I have learned a lot of great techniques in his training but I will also say that some of his stuff is a bit too new ageish and I am uncomfortable with it.  Those things that I was uncomfortable with I simply didn't participate in.  Doesn't make any of the good stuff I learned any less valuable.

I'd like to share one of the valuable techniques I did learn.  For those of you that work out, especially walking and running, use that time for an extended time of prayer.  Now here is the technique.  Spend the first 5 minutes of that prayer time to just thank God for all of the ways in which He has blessed you and those around you.  Who do you pray for?  Use the concentric circle approach.

Start by thanking God for all of the ways He has blessed you personally.  Then move on and thank Him for all of the ways He blesses your spouse.  Then thank God for all of the ways He blesses your kids.  And just keep widening the circle. 

You could also do this on your drive to work or while you are taking a shower in the morning, the possibilities are endless.

Here is my guarantee.  If you will make a decision to begin everyday by doing this simple exercise, within a very short time you will begin to experience the feeling of a heart soaring with thankfulness. (I know it is a cheesy saying but it is the only way I know to really describe the feeling that I get when I begin my prayer time with a thankful heart)

If you want to be happy then be thankful.  Start each day counting your blessing with a thankful heart and see how happy you become!