Our sphere of reference determines our viewpoint. It seems impossible to resist comparing ourselves with others. And normally we compare upwards. We look at our neighbor who has a bigger house or nicer car.
One of the keys for living a life of gratitude is the old-fashioned idea of counting our blessings. It sounds quaint, but there is power in this idea. If we have food to eat and a safe place to stay, we are ahead of the vast majority of the world today.
This doesn't mean we become complacent. But developing a lifestyle of gratitude helps us keep everything in perspective.
The baseline is being able to meet daily needs. Many in our country are struggling here. The ability to work and provide for ourselves is the foundation.
If you are one of those who doesn't worry about daily needs (food, water, shelter, medical care, etc.) then it's good to count your blessings.
Beyond the basic needs, do you have money in the bank or any balance in your retirement savings? Maybe you don't have as much as financial experts say you should, but just for the exercise of gratitude, any savings is better than most around the world.
So how can you develop a lifestyle of gratitude?
1. Teach your children to remember to acknowledge the simple things in life. Maybe you have run out of their favorite cereal. But if there is food in the pantry, it is okay. This is a hard lesson to learn, and not just for children.
2. Budget giving. This means plan on making small but regular contributions to the charity of your choice. This may involve sacrifice; you may have to give up something to free up the money to donate. But giving can help cure a lack of contentment.
3. Put up some kind of reminder that makes sense only to you. We all get busy and worry about our own concerns, and that is important. But if we have a reminder to stop once a day to "count our blessings," it would help keep us on track.
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