The Attitude Of Gratitude
Be Grateful For What You Have - Many Have Far Less
It is my belief we should all take a few minutes everyday and reflect upon our blessings in life. Far too often we get caught up in the unimportant rather than what is really important. We strive and spend time on careers, promotions, and things we think we really want instead of the many blessings and wonderful family and friends that surround us.
If you were to spend some time in the Third World countries that I have, you would see what blessings you already possess.
70% of the world's population lives without electricity, running water, healthcare, and most of the time not enough food to eat. We complain because the air conditioning doesn't work, the electricity went off for an hour, we had to wait an hour to see the doctor, our car needs work, we don't have the latest cell phone, our computers crash, or what we had to eat is not to our liking.
Consider for a moment, if you will, if you would have been born in these Third World countries. Your home would be a shack with no running water, no electricity, no television, no cell phones, no computers, but much of this wouldn't make any difference anyway because you would be illiterate. Your children's education would no longer be important because they would have to work simply to help you put enough food on the table to keep everyone alive.
The nearest healthcare, if there was any, may be 100 miles away and you would either walk or ride a bicycle to get to it.
Probably one of the most amazing things is that if you were a resident of this Third World nation, your life expectancy, instead of being 70 to 75, would now be cut to a mere 53 years old. Hopefully, you would not be a resident of one of these Third World countries that suffers from wars and droughts, in which case, your life expectancy would be much shorter.
We are so blessed in the United States that we take it all for granted. I think sometimes we think, in this country, that everyone in the world has the blessings that we enjoy.
So every morning stop for a few minutes and reflect upon the many blessings that you have now. Think about the wonderful family and friends that surround you, the opportunities that you have simply by the lottery of being born in this country.
Think about the freedoms that you enjoy and reflect upon the fact that no matter how bad your troubles may seem, you are far, far, better off than two-thirds of the people on this planet.
By simply adopting this "Attitude Of Gratitude" you will find yourself much happier with the things you have now. Sometimes happiness is a matter of not so much wanting what you don't have but learning to appreciate the wonderful things you do have.
Copyright © 2010 Bob Teague
I am a motivational, keynote speaker and a member of Toastmasters international. Any comments would be welcomed.
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