“I will accept my life, gratefully, just as it is.”
How many of us really live by that statement? What does being grateful really mean? Does it mean to be just thankful for the immediate tangible things or people in our lives?
Being grateful is the same as being appreciative or thankful for the people that have touched our lives even in the smallest of ways to the big and obvious as well. You may thank your sponsor when he or she pulls you through a tough time, but do you thank the person who smiled at you on the street? Do you return that smile, or just brush by?
Being grateful is being grateful for all good things that touch you. It can be as small as a person who shared their story at a meeting or the one who passed the sugar for your coffee during break. The people who made it possible for your AA group to meet by supplying the building, the means, the snacks, etc.
To be grateful for something is to be mindful of it, to allow it to be a part of your thoughts and thereby dictate your actions. To be grateful in life, all you have to do is to stay alert, watch your surroundings, and not take even the smallest of things for granted. There are limitless opportunities everyday where we can exercise our thankfulness and gratefulness. It starts with two very simple yet very under used words – Thank You.
By being grateful for the smallest of things as well as the obvious, we gain a bigger appreciation for what all is good in our lives and the world around us. By showing that appreciation back to those givers, and making yourself one of those people a person can put on their grateful list only rises your self esteem and your general over all natural good feel. It is an addiction, but a great one! It is one that will make you smile, feel good, is super healthy, and one you will want to pass on to others.
Being grateful to others around you, your recovery, and even the small things in life may seem so simple, yet sadly is not expressed near as much as it should be; yet it is the easy thing you can do that doesn’t cost you a cent, but pays back hundreds.
If you need help, are struggling with an addiction, or know of someone who is, please contact A Better Tomorrow Treatment Center today. We are here to help.
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http://www.24houraddictionhelp.org/
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Thank you for making me stop to realize all that I have to be thankful for. A year ago I almost died from an overdose. It was my wakeup call. I should be more thankful for what I have and I'm going to be working on that starting right now. Thanks for the boost!
ReplyDeleteI do tend to be grateful for what I have. I really do have everything I need and even some of what I want. I am blessed with good health and a big family. I try to let others know how I feel in hopes it will help them to feel the same.
ReplyDeleteI am grateful for my life as it is today. It was not so long ago that my life was in the toilet. Every day gets a little better.
ReplyDeleteToday is really all any of us have. Yesterday is gone and can never be done over. Tomorrow is a promise that may never come. One day at a time, grateful for where I am and what I have. That's me.
ReplyDeleteGreat thought, Doris. Most people just don't take the time to think of all they are blessed with. If they would work towards what they need as opposed to what they want, they would realize that they are lucky to have what they need. At that point, the want may not be so important like they first thought.
ReplyDeleteHardly no one takes the time to smile or greet people when they are walking along. I always try to smile whenever someone makes eye contact with me. I'm so grateful for what I have and I want to spread a little sunshine into the lives of others, especially those who have not been so fortunate. Smiles are free, use them!
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