Give Thanks: Change Your Life

Gratitude unfolds the richness of life. It has the power to transform a consciousness of lacking into one of great purpose and meaning. Gratitude has the power to change your life. This is the subject of my post today.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, and confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”~Melodie Beattie

Gratitude is a powerful vehicle for deepening us psychologically and spiritually. When you practice an attitude of gratefulness, you stay open to your special blessings and the features of what happens to you that help you grow, no matter how hard your life may be.

A life story told through a theme of gratefulness is beautiful. No matter the disadvantages with which a person was born or losses that were experienced, gratitude is the thread by which he or she is able to weave a meaningful, touching story of learning, growth, and wisdom gained. Gratitude is the music that blends your life experiences into a celebration of all that you are. When you narrate your life experiences through a consciousness of richness rather than one of lacking, life becomes magical.

To be aware of your blessings is not to say that everything that has happened to you has been wonderful. Giving thanks is for all that contributes to the beauty of your life–the joy and loss, the achievements and failures.

Have you ever heard a person tell you about the things that happen to him or her through a mentality of no blessings?  It makes for one boring story. There’s no music, no morals to the stories told. Life experience that is narrated by a  consciousness of lacking is purposeless and without meaning.

Research shows that being thankful for what you have makes you happier, more creative and resilient, more motivated to achieve goals, more apt to engage in helping behaviors, less depressed, while reducing stress and improving your health, and helps you to bounce back more quickly from adversity.

Live Your Gratefulness Out Loud

You deserve all the blessings that you have in life. So, make time to give thanks, daily, for all the good things that make up your life. You will see, once you bring forward all that you are thankful for that it will be more difficult to return to a consciousness of lack.

  1. Give thanks for the people, pets and things in your world that make your life better. There are people, pets, and things in your life that bring you joy and help you to cope better with life’s challenges. Consider who and what they are. Give them thanks today. Perhaps it is your parents or siblings, children, pet or friend who you feel blessed to have in your life. Maybe, for you, it is a church or other activity that enriches your life experience. Take time out today to thank them for making your life better.
  2. Give thanks for the things that you brought into this world. We are so hard on ourselves sometimes, focusing more on what we haven’t done than on all of the things that we’ve created in this life. Give thanks today for all that you have created for yourself in this life so far. You may have created a loving family, raised fine children, or supported a cause important to you. Be grateful today for all that you personally do and have brought into the world.
  3. Give thanks for the gifts, talents and capabilities that support your life, financially, emotionally, or spiritually. You may be blessed with a strong, healthy body, a good mind, a creative spirit, or a special talent for self-expression. You have a special gift, talent or capability that supports you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually in some way. Many of you know that before I became a psychologist, I sang Opera professionally, for a short time. It was hard for me, emotionally, when I realized that the circumstances of my life did not support a singing career. In tough times, my singing talent afforded me a great way to release whatever pain I was feeling. My artistic nature also sensitized me to the plight of others that I continue to use in my work as a psychologist. Give thanks for the talents that you have that keep on giving, no matter how much your life changes. These types of blessings were just meant for you, to help you out on your life journey.
  4. Give thanks for your life lessons. Turn a consciousness of lacking into one of richness. Reflect upon the lessons in your life that may have brought you pain, but that taught you how to live much better, either through learning to work at what feels more true to you, choosing mates who made your life better rather than worse, or any other point of learning that taught you something about yourself, others, and the world. I know there’s something there, some lesson or understanding that will help you to live better in the future.

The Thanksgiving holiday is certainly the right time of year to give thanks for all of the blessings that make our lives more bearable and joyful. Giving thanks however should also be part of your daily routine. Let gratitude change your life. Live it out loud daily.

Let me say out loud to all of you today, thank you for enriching my life. Your kindness and support, and sharing of your lives mean the world to me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

If you like my post today, please say so by selecting the Like icon that immediately follows. I welcome your comments and reflections. Warmly, Deborah

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9 Responses to “Give Thanks: Change Your Life”

  1. Debbie, Thank you for reminding me to be grateful. It’s such a powerful mindstate, and yet I tend to forget.

    • avatar drdeborahkhoshaba says:

      Thanks Mark. It’s easy to forget; I know. Just writing it reminded me of all that I am thankful for as well. Best to you Dr. Mark!!!

  2. avatar Mary Murphy says:

    Thank YOU Debbie for sharing this post!

  3. Great reminder. After I left my husband a few months before Xmas, the thought of Xmas alone was daunting. That morning I made a ritual of writing everything I was grateful for and it turned into one of my most content days. It really works well!!

    • avatar drdeborahkhoshaba says:

      Hi Kathleen, that must have been a hard time. I’m sure you mustered up much courage to do what you felt deeply inside that was right for your life. I’m going to remember this for my clients. It’s hard to practice gratitude in the face of a loss, but so necessary. Best to you Kathleen! I value your contributions very much. Deborah

  4. avatar Jessica says:

    No offense, but i suggest adding a facebook like button for the blog!

    • avatar Dr. Deborah Khoshaba says:

      Thank you Jessica, the site is becoming a publication now –and the Like button was just added. Thank you so much and hope you visit again.

    • avatar Dr. Deborah Khoshaba says:

      Thanks Jessica, a newer version of the site was just about to be launched and the Like button wasn’t put on yet. It’s there now. Thank you for visiting the site! Deborah

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