It’s time we said “Thanks” to gratitude.

With the Thanksgiving season fast approaching, we need to wrap each day in gratitude.

I read an article recently that explained why people tend to focus on the negative things in life. It’s how our brains were programmed.

Before the onset of technology and our fast-paced lifestyle, people had to try something, fail, and then learn from that failure to do better next time.

For example, This is a good place to find food. I should come back here. (Happiness)

The opposite would be: That is not a good place for food. I don’t like being hungry. I need to remember this bad place and find somewhere new. (Unhappy)

So we would replay the unhappy scenario over and over to remember it. And our brains still want to do that even now:

I didn’t like the food at this restaurant, and the service was lousy. I won’t come back.

vs, What a great place this is! I have a new favorite restaurant.

Buy maybe one bad thing happens, and it colors your entire day. You can’t shake it. It plays over and over in your head like an endless loop.

There’s a way to fix that mindset: Gratitude.

When we make a concerted effort to redirect our focus, we can short-circuit that loop. So we say “Thanks” to gratitude, because it saves us from that complicated and self-sustaining pit.

So, in an attempt to make this easier for you this week, I’ve compiled a list of 7 targets for you to aim your gratitude at. Just take one a day and make certain you’ve shared it with at least one person.

#gratitude

1. For our family tradition of ____
2. That I have _____
3. That I don’t have _____
4. That I get to _____
5. That I don’t have to _____
6. For the color _____
7. For the smell of _____

I’ll have 8 more next week, and that will take us to Thanksgiving day.

In the meantime, thanks for stopping by. I’m praying for you.

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