Develop an appreciation of life
I’ve been reading a lot about happiness lately, and I’m very interested in how a positive mindset improves our ability to deal with the ups and downs that are inherent in daily life. Today I received my daily thought from Alan Cohen, mentor and inspirational coach, in which he said, “The thoughts you think when you are the happiest are the closest to the truth.”
Today, this sweet thought seemed profound to me. Happiness is all around us, if we open our eyes to see and our hearts to thank. This afternoon the sun was shining and it was hot enough to run to the mailbox without my coat. While I was outside for that brief period, I heard the giggles of children playing outside, the short, euphoric barks of my dogs struggling in the melting snow, and saw my neighbor smile as she happily backed her car away for a wash. Water. Dirt from the last two weeks. The sun was warm on my face and the air was fresh and clean.
Those few minutes of observed happiness created enormous gratitude for the abundance in our lives. It took away my frustration with my client being thirty minutes late for his appointment and the feeling of having technology problems while he was trying to update my website.
Appreciation for what is happening in your life will move mountains. We can take the ordinary and turn it into something special. When we view life as a gift and approach it with positive thoughts, we will live longer, be married longer, earn more money, be more altruistic, and more creative.
Everyday tasks, when approached with wonder and appreciation, can be the highlight of your day and bring joy to one or many others. When you go to the supermarket, smile at the cashier when he asks if you found everything you were looking for. He responds positively and ask them how their day is going, and mean it. You may be the only person that day to give them the recognition and attention they need and deserve. Cheerfully greet the neighborhood children – they will feel safe and loved. Take care of your flowers with tenderness and they will bloom ready to be shared. Above all, I thank you. It is a way of honoring yourself, acknowledging that you consider yourself important and valuable.
What a beautiful way to live life!
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