How To Be Thankful

Being thankful in such a "self"-oriented culture can be difficult, but as we (hopefully) move into being conscious adults, we begin to peel back the layers to find what's truly important to us in this world. It's easy to find fault with our current situation; we don't have "enough" money, "enough" love, "enough" power, etc. But in comparison to those less fortunate, we often have more than enough. When you find yourself dissatisfied and constantly wanting things, chances are, the attainment of the "things" you so desire would still not bring you contentment. The funny thing is, when we stop long enough to be in the present and reflect on the abundance we have, we often find we don't need anything else.

How To Be Thankful

1. Focus on one positive thing per day in your life. Learning to identify with positivity instead of focusing on the negatives will help you see your life differently. Changing our way of thinking takes repetition - start by stopping at the same time every day to think of something positive.

2. Look at the big picture, and try to keep this in mind when you're inclined to feel bad about your situation. There are millions of people in much worse circumstances than you, and many of them still manage to have positive, optimistic attitudes. Put yourself in their shoes. What can you learn from them?

3. Think about the people in your life - family, friends, work colleagues, etc. Every person is in your life for a reason - think about what those reasons are. What have you learned from being around these people, and how have they helped shape who you are today?

4. Look around you at the many day-to-day things you take for granted. What would life be like without them? How easy would life be if you didn't have shoes to wear, or you had no access to electricity we never think twice about?

5. Remember to be thankful for your time on this earth. We have the capability of achieving incredible, meaningful things in our lives, just by being alive. Don't waste the experience!