Hello Friends,
Share your gratitude with those you love to enjoy your abundance
It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
Charles Spurgeon
One proven way to increase your happiness and sense of enjoyment for what you have is to express gratitude. We human beings are social creatures so we are happiest when we are connected to others in positive relationships. This is a great time of year to enjoy the people in our lives by reaching out with our sincere appreciation and gratitude for their love and friendship.
Everyone has their own unique style of love. Many people need to hear words of appreciation to feel truly loved, no matter how big the other gifts or gestures. Words of sincere appreciation written in a card and spoken out loud can often be the most loving gifts for these folks.
When expressing your appreciation and gratitude for people it is often enough just to say, I am so glad to have you in my life. If you want to go further, you might add something about the person that you particularly like. For example, you might say, I always appreciate seeing your smile, or I am grateful for the way you pitch in to get the job done. These are observations about the way a person appears. If you really want to express gratitude in a very personal way, talk about some unique feature of that person that defines who they are. You are one of those people who lives to ease the pain of others. I really appreciate the way you always have a ready smile for me on days I am down and how you pitch in to help anyone who needs you, whether they ask or not.
In the end, we all want to belong and to be noticed and appreciated for who we are. The compliments and the connections are the treasures that will keep us warm all year long.
This is also a great time to let go of old hurts and forgive those who have offended us. Forgiveness does not mean you approve of what the other person does, but it does mean that you are willing to give them another chance at a relationship with you. The Tale of Despereaux is a wonderful book and animated movie about the power of forgiveness. The first step in bridging any old rifts is to reestablish contact. Sometimes it can be as simple as a just making eye contact and saying hello. Breaking the silence is a powerful way to start building a bridge. A holiday card or email can also start the process. Remember to be patient and to give the other person a chance to step forward as well.
Whether you are starting with forgiveness and opening up contact, or deepening your relationship with sincere appreciation, expressing gratitude for the people in your life is a great way to start to enjoy what you have. Your love is like a sunflower. A sunflower is actually made up of hundreds of tiny, individual flowers. Each one becomes a seed and the abundance of seeds from each plant help the sunflower spread everywhere. Your acts of appreciation and forgiveness are like sunflower seeds in the larger flower of you. Each seed spreads happiness to others who grow their own happy lives.
Remember to check out all the great sunflower gifts at The Sunflower Shop and commemorate the wisdom of sunflowers and how spread cheerful joy.
Share your gratitude with those you love to enjoy your abundance
Affirmation
I notice the people in my life and appreciate having them close. I share my appreciation of others with them.
Journal or Meditation Question
Who are the people who have made the biggest positive difference in my life? When was the last time I told them how influential they were? When was the last time I contacted them or thanked them for their role in my life?
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