Thankfulness: The Game-Changer

You might think it’s easy to be thankful this time of year. There is delicious food, magical sights, holiday parties, days off work? The list goes on. But maybe you don’t have any of that to enjoy. Like so many people, I am looking for a full-time job. That’s hard work. It gets tedious. It gets discouraging. Yeah, be thankful, right. When I start feeling down like this, there is one thing I’ve learned recently that amazes me every time I recall the lesson and act on it.

Choose to be thankful at all times. No matter what is going wrong, my guess is you have something or some things going very right. Do you have food and shelter? Those are two big items right there. What else do you have to be thankful for?

Thankfulness is a game-changer. Especially when you take time out to do it. Writing down what you are thankful for is particularly powerful. My outlook changes dramatically when I do that. Give it a try!

        My parents and me

Here is my list of things I am thankful for, related to my dreams, along with some questions to get you thinking:

1. My God, my friend - Have you made Him your friend?

2. My parents - What things have your parents done for you that you take for granted?

3. My extended family and close friends - Who do you allow in your inner circle? Why?

4. My pastors and mentors -- Who can provide you with unbiased counsel and opinions?

5. My elder and younger friends -- Who can you take lessons from and to whom can you show the way? Also, keep in mind, people are watching you. Have you asked them what they see? Don’t assume.

6. My buddies and female friends -- Who is helping you become a better man or lady?

7. My landlords - I am thankful to have NYC at my fingertips in less than a half hour, as a result of affordable rent - Who has given you breaks in pursuit of your dreams?

8. My longtime friends and new friends - New to the East Coast, it is such a gift to have welcoming friends. At the same time, few things are better than striking up a conversation with an old friend. What old friend have you called lately? Who is someone you should befriend?

9. Doubters - We all have had people say there’s no way we would succeed with something, only to prove them wrong. Who is a doubter you have disproved?

10. People who have made mistakes - I’m a firm believer that you can learn something from everyone. That may mean that you do what they didn’t do or vice versa. Of course, you may fall into this category at one time or another. That’s OK. Let someone take a positive away from your negative.

At this point, I think you get the idea. It takes other people to make a dream a reality. Who did I forget on my list? What does yours look like?  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thank you, Sam’s Dream Blog readers!