1 Lack of contentment — always wanting the next great thing / experience / relationship and never feeling satisfied .
2 Being overly distracted to create and enjoy positive interactions with others .
3 Not living in the PRESENT . Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future .
Is it possible to enjoy Happiness / Joy during turbulent times ? Of course ! Everyone has situations in life that test one ’ s resiliency . This happens during challenges in our health , struggles in family relationships , issues with business relationships , financial difficulties , hardships from natural disasters and even civil unrest .
Gratitude comes from the Latin word gratis , which means grace , graciousness , or gratefulness . Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives , whether tangible or intangible . It is also found in contentment for things that are going well in the present . With gratitude , people recognize the goodness in their lives despite the messes . In the process , people frequently recognize that the source of that goodness lies partially outside themselves . Gratitude helps people connect to something larger than themselves ( humanity , nature , or a higher power .)
An attitude of GRATITUDE helps us weather the storms of life , frequently referenced as “ the refiners fire .” I ’ ve had my refining processes and I know you ’ ve had yours too . From my book , You Choose Your Path , I share an experience from 15 years ago . Maintaining gratitude during turbulent times helps neutralize the effects of the struggle . Our young family moved from Utah to Alaska to start a business and enjoy a new adventure ! After a series of unfortunate events , we found ourselves moving into a 16x20 ’ rustic cabin without running water . ( This is not part of the adventure we anticipated !)
We had four young boys ages 1 , 3 , 5 , and 7 years old . Common conveniences such as a hot shower , dishwasher , even a kitchen sink were a thing of the past . I felt like I was living in the book Little House on the Prairie , but my “ Prairie ” was the frozen tundra of Alaska . I once heard , “ If you own more than 2 pair of shoes , you are in the top 3 % of the wealthiest people on the planet .” That mes-
sage came back to me hundreds of times when the fire in the wood burning stove burned out in the middle of the night … when I hauled buckets of ice cold water into the cabin to heat on the stove to wash dishes . I thought about those words while trudging through the snow in the dark with a flashlight , holding the hand of my 3 year old , to go to the outhouse . Despite our lack of resources , we had ABUNDANCE ! We had shelter , water , heat , we had food ( to make the dishes dirty ) and we each had SEVERAL pair of shoes !
The flip side of living in a rustic cabin with an outhouse was that we lived on a beautiful lake that shimmered in the sunlight and took my breath away and loons would sing their peaceful song each night ! A 6,398 ’ Pioneer Peak was the scene out our window . We canoed in the summer and went ice skating in the winter literally 20 feet off our back porch . Life was simple and magical . The winters in Alaska were cold , but we were cozy and warm in the cabin while we strategized our next steps . We were “ roughing it ,” but I knew it wouldn ’ t last forever and it didn ’ t ! I have learned that the “ fruits ” of Gratitude include Happiness , Vitality , Optimism , Health , Joy , Peace , Friendships , Patience , Goodness and Brotherly Kindness !
If you are reading this , and own 2 or more pair of shoes , you are likely in the top 3 % of the wealthiest people on the planet ! Go forth , my friends , elevate your Attitude of Gratitude towards the people in your family , the people in your neighborhood , work , civic entities , your city , country and around the world , as you do so , global happiness will furthermore increase !
Until next month , keep your smile on ! iF Magazine | www . iFMagazine . net 15