#6 Being Grateful

Do you have difficulty appreciating your current lifestyle? Do you often wish your life was a lot better? Do you often feel sorry for yourself?

First of all, quit it.

Second, if you're reading this, I guarantee your circumstances are better than 90% of the world.

In honor of the season of being grateful, I am going to walk through an exercise I do at least once a month. Hung on my wall, I have a posterboard with the title "Gratitude Wall". Below it is a wide variety of answers, but all are written in permanent marker & visible reminder to myself how blessed I am.

What am I grateful for today?

1. I am grateful I wake up & my two feet hit the ground.

2. I am grateful I have a healthy heart & mind.

3. I am grateful I am 26 years old & at a point in my life where I can move my body fairly easily.

4. I am grateful I have a roof over my head at night to keep me warm & safe.

5. I am grateful I have nearby access to clean water & never have to worry where my next meal is coming from.

6. I am grateful I was born in the United States - the greatest country in the world & the land of opportunity.

7. I am grateful I have the ability to choose how I want to spend my time & build my life.

8. I am grateful I live in the beautiful state of Colorado where I get to explore year-round with amazing people.

9. I am grateful I have both of my parents a part of my life. Both of whom have always provided me with endless support, love, & sacrifice to help me succeed in life.

10. I am grateful for my two younger brothers & my nephew for the love & support they provide to me in both good times & bad.

11. I am grateful I am in a career that allows me to work on challenging problems & use my many talents of problem solving, communicating, & executing. My career also pays for my adventurous lifestyle.

12. I am grateful for modern technology that allows me to keep in close communication with friends & family regardless of the physical distance between us.

13. I am grateful to be able to travel on many personal & professional trips.

14. I am grateful to have the opportunity to interact with many people from many walks of life.

15. I am grateful I have the opportunity to push my physical & mental limits through road & trail racing.

This exercise is beneficial for a number of reasons:

1. It requires you to slow down & work through your thoughts.

2. Starting each point with "I am grateful" builds repetition.

3. Writing things down has been identified as beneficial because it makes the experience more personal.

4. If you post this visual reminder somewhere you see it daily, it's a great reminder of your blessings.

I'd ask you try this exercise. Purchase a posterboard. Hang on your wall. Write what you're grateful for. Repeat. Schedule a specific time or do it when you're needing some gratitude within your life.

So let me ask...

Why are you grateful today?