This morning I led meeting #1003 at Bay Street Breakfast Club as the Toastmaster. At our club the Toastmaster typically selects a theme for the meeting, and with (Canadian) Thanksgiving this weekend, “gratitude” seemed like a great choice. As I reflected more on the theme of gratitude leading up to this morning’s meeting, I realized how much I have to be thankful for in my own life.
Things I am Thankful For
As we live our busy lives we get wrapped up in our “important” endeavors and can begin to take things for granted. It just takes a simple reminder, like Thanksgiving, to realize how much most of us have to be thankful for. Off the top of my head, here are a few things I am thankful for in my life:
- The fact that I live in one of the best and most opportunistic countries in the world
- Being surrounded by supportive parents, great family and like-minded friends
- Having knowledgeable and trustworthy advisers and partners as part of my real estate investment team
- Belonging to some great groups such as REIN and Bay Street Breakfast Club
- Having found fun ways to stay healthy and fit
Relatively speaking, if you’re able to read this blog, you have a ton to be thankful for. Chances are if you’ve got a computer and internet access, your basic needs for nutrition, clothing and shelter are taken care of as well. The basics may not seem like much but they’re a great place to start your list of what you’re grateful for.
Gratitude as a Tool for Wealth Creation
If you’ve read much in the way of personal development or seen the movie “The Secret”, you’ll know that gratitude is one of the keys to attracting more positive into your life. Since the late 1800’s, many authors in the area of personal development have presented readers with new ideas on the creative power of thought. If the axiom of “thoughts become things” holds true, then we must get what we think about, right?
Like leverage, this concept is a double edged sword. If we choose to focus our thinking on areas of lack in our lives and the negative aspects which we are frustrated with, these situations will persist. By instead practicing gratitude, we will attract more of what we want and our circumstances will continually improve. This is not to say we should ignore our problems, but rather we should only focus on solutions and the positives in our lives.
Even if you only count your blessings on the rare occasion, a little gratitude can go a long way. Focus on what’s good in your life and see the difference it can make.
Put Some Thanks Into Your Thanksgiving
As (Canadian) Thanksgiving approaches this weekend, take some time to think of all the things you have to be grateful for. Even if you’re feeling awful, there ARE things to be thankful for. Try writing a list of things you’re grateful for; you’ll feel a little better and you might just change your life.
Happy Thanksgiving!
photo credit: hzeller
