I’m writing to the person who is down and out, the person who thinks life is a bitch, the person who is thinking that there might be no hope in life.

Be Grateful!

Gratitude does not change the circumstances. Gratitude changes the person.

Two people can be in the exact same situation, right beside each other.
One can be complaining about the traffic, the heat, the time lost, the hunger etc.
And the other can be grateful for his transportation, for good weather, for time to read a good book, for having family who can share dinner with.

They are going through the same situation. But having a different experience of it. And it starts with gratitude.

What can we be grateful for?

Grateful for things

Right now, grab a thing around you. What does this thing enable you to do? Express your appreciation for the thing (it’s okay, you’re the only one who can hear/see yourself talking to the thing). Example: Thank you ballpen for being available to take down notes for me so that I will remember what I need. Thank you ballpen that I’m able to express myself to my wife through love notes.

Grateful for happenings 

Today, as your focus on one activity you are doing today, how does this activity benefit you?
Yes, maybe you don’t like your job, you don’t like the work you do. Just think about it for some moments. What does it *benefit* you to do what you do?

Or maybe you’re on the other side of things, you’re idle and without work. What does it *benefit* you being idle.

Some might think: “Nothing! It doesn’t benefit me one bit.”
Really, “Nothing?” What you’re doing doesn’t benefit you at all? If so, then why do you continue doing it? Oh, because you will get hurt if you don’t do it? Then that is the benefit! You are *choosing* to do it so that you won’t get hurt. Acknowledge that if that is the situation. There’s always something to be grateful for.

Grateful for thoughts and feelings

Right now, as you’re reading this and you’re thinking “Hey, that’s a new idea I could use.” Be thankful for all the transformations that are happening within you. Every second, every moment, you are having a new thought, a new feeling. It is a continuous stream of thoughts and feelings. Be grateful for the newly discovered

Grateful for people

You know how it goes. As you reflect about the people around you, your loved ones, what are you grateful for about them? Go ahead and choose one person. I don’t know what you’re going through. Let’s say for example (I’m thinking of an extreme scenario here) you hate a person so much — well, two ways to do it. Give yourself a chance to think of something you are grateful for for this person you “hate”. Maybe your ex- made you a stronger person. Maybe your current boss helped you appreciate your previous boss.

Or maybe you have a loved one who’s easy to be grateful for. Your parents. Your partner or spouse. Your officemate. Your best friend. Be grateful for them. You want to level-up? Express your gratitude to them. Write them a hand-written note, tell them what you are grateful for. Remember that gratitude changes you, not your circumstances.

Grateful for self

Be grateful for your self. There’s only one person in the world that you will be with for the rest of your life! YOU! Yes YOU! You might as well be grateful for something about yourself. What do you like about yourself? “Eh kung yung status message nga ng kaklase mo, nila-like mo. Dapat pati ikaw, ni-la-like mo rin.”

Right now, write three things that you’re grateful for today. (Level-up: Post it on facebook/twitter/IG). Repeat for next 30 days.

Use hashtags #30daysofgratitude #BeHappyHungry

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