Daily Inspiration 11-25-09

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got,
he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get."

-- Frank A. Clark

There was a time in the not very distant past when I might have read this and said, 'what in the world is there to be thankful for in this situation?'

Think of it this way: a guy says, 'hey, I'll change when I get the money.' I've also heard it said that having more money just makes you more of what you already are.

I have finally learned this lesson after struggling with it for a very long time, and Vincent Roazzi says it so well, 'For things to change, you have to change.' This time, I'm changing my thinking first, then my success will last. It's like the poor person who won the lottery and is broke six months or a year later. The money didn't make them smarter, or wiser--just richer. For a while.

Being grateful for misfortune is a very important step in the process of change. Being thankful for what you have, sounds easier than being grateful for misfortune, but being grateful--honestly grateful--is truly a catalyst to positive change. Anyone can be grateful for good times and easy living. It takes committment and tenacity to be grateful when things are crashing around you. Yet, this is when it is really important and when it really matters.

Gratitude will open doors previously closed; it will open you to inspiration. It is a connection to God. There is so much to be thankful for and if you aren't seeing that, you're looking in the wrong places. Here's a quote from G. K Chesterton to help: "When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?"

Let's start with gratitude for where we are and what we have, make it a habit, and also celebrate the opportunities that lie ahead before they actually show up. I tell you this from experience, that this habit alone will change your inner life dramatically and your external life will follow suit in due time. This time, when the 'good times' return, you will achieve a lasting joy and a permanent change.


I Am Thankful For EVERY Thing!

Spread Some Joy Today--When you wake up in the morning and before you nod off to sleep, see how many things you can be thankful for. The warmth of the bed, the crispness of the sheets, the smell in the air, the sunrise peeking through the window, the breath in your lungs. . .