Life Chapters – Appreciating Life

Have you been stumped?

Have you ever been stumped asking yourself “What do I have to be grateful for?”  I know there have been times that I was stumped and I am certain you have experienced the same at some point.  When was the last time you stopped to consider the everyday things you take for granted, overlook, minimize, underestimate or under-appreciate?  Do you hear more complaining and blaming or more praise for things and others in your life?  Do you spread thanks, cheer and good will or do you contribute to your own doom and gloom?  Even though life seems like it’s a constant uphill battle there is much to appreciate about life.

Life Changing

Being grateful is life changing.  It will lift your spirit and change your mood along with those around you.  The problem seems to be people get sidetrack, often thinking more about what they don’t have than the things they do have.   When you get stuck in the rut of wanting and needing you miss being grateful for what you already have.  There are times when things, people or situations might not measure up to expectations – your expectation is the problem.  Many times too much have been put into expected results and not enough in appreciation of them.  By doing this you allow things, people and situations to take over your life by not placing value on what is important.

Not Always Greener

How many times have you heard “The grass is not always greener on the other side” or “I didn’t realize what I had until it was gone”?  Many times in those cases it wasn’t the things you owned or the things you considered important it was what you missed along the way.  Setting your sights on wanting and needing blurs your vision of the world.  When you appreciate and are grateful for what you have you understand what will be missed when it is gone.  Family and loved ones should always be appreciated and cherished – you don’t want to learn after the fact what someone meant to you.  Let them know every day how much you appreciate them and how important they are to you.

Precious Gifts

We all have been given precious gifts.  The problem is many fail to receive them.  By noticing the everyday ordinary things like the birds singing, the butterfly on a flower, the sunrise and sunset, the gentle breeze on a hot day, fresh snow, your parents, children and grandchildren,  and so much more it’s easy to see how blessed we are.  Taking a closer look will help to reveal that the grass is not really greener on the other side.  When you begin to appreciate the simple gifts life has to give you begin to live and enjoy a fuller life.  Be grateful for the things you have and the gifts the world gives you.   Certainly there will be days that you get stuck in the wanting and needing rut but all you have to do is take a closer look at the world around you.  Realizing what you already have will help you appreciate life for what it is.

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”
- Voltaire