Living a Life of Gratitude

For most of us celebrating Thanksgiving, it will be natural to begin thinking of the things we are grateful for. Maybe your family has a tradition at Thanksgiving dinner for everyone to go around and say what they’re thankful for. When November starts, I always begin to have a better mindset of being grateful. It has become the thing to do because, well, it’s Thanksgiving! But why do we wait and only focus on being grateful during this season that is less than 30 days?

What if we made the decision to live a life of gratitude and become determined to be thankful in every moment or every circumstance? Whether things are going good or bad. In the moments that every one of your children is begging for your attention, and you feel stretched thin. In the moments that life isn’t going how you planned, and you feel that you have hit rock bottom. Or in the moments that you feel successful and empowered. Those moments that life is going well. It is easy to be grateful when life is going how we think it should — the bills are paid, the kids are getting along, work isn’t too stressful, and we feel like we can conquer anything. But it’s in the moments that life feels burdensome, that it is crucial to find something to be grateful for.

When we become so focused on the negative things or situations in our life, it can be overwhelming and cause us to believe nothing good will ever happen. For nearly a year after I became divorced and a single parent, I was looking and living my life through the lens of negativity. I let my situation determine my attitude and my perspective, and not in a positive way. I was ignoring the blessings right in front of me, because I was so focused on the things I didn’t have that I believed I needed and I deserved. What I was allowing to consume my thinking was in turn controlling my life. Yet God had me each and every step of the way, and He really knew what I needed. I finally came to a point that I decided I could not continue to walk around living my life defeated. I was stronger than I realized, and it took some incredible people to help me recognize that.

In addition to having those incredible people in my life who encouraged and supported me every step of my journey, I had to make the decision to change my thinking. The biggest battles we fight are in our minds. I became determined to live a life of gratitude by focusing on the blessings in my life rather than the disappointments. I have three healthy, smart, beautiful children. I have a job I love that helps me support my family. I have a home to raise my children in. And I have an incredible support system that has seen me at my best and at my worst, and has stood with me through it all. It becomes very difficult to be ungrateful while noticing the amazing things in your life. Honestly, it comes down to whether we want to live a positive, happy life or not. It’s ultimately our choice no one else’s. Being grateful doesn’t necessarily take away the bad things that happen or the negative things impacting our lives, but it helps us see the good despite those things.

You may have to begin with being grateful for one thing each day, but as you continue to find things to be grateful for it will become easier to find more. I have determined that no matter what situation may come in the future, I will continue to thank God for each day I get to live and make a difference in someone’s life. Some days those lives may simply just be my children, but they are no less important or impactful. In fact, as a mother it is my greatest responsibility to raise healthy, independent, and kind future adults.

I challenge each person reading this to start today and become grateful in all things and in every situation. You will be amazed at how being grateful and focusing on thinking positively will impact your life. You most definitely will not regret it.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (MSG) “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”