Do You Count Your Blessings Daily?UnicornPapercraft

Are you truly thankful for your many blessings?

Is this a thought that comes around only during Thanksgiving?

There’s plenty of negativity around us. The trick is to ignore it and fill your heart and mind with positive thoughts. I know it is easier said than done.

Would You Rather Be Happy Or Complaining All of the Time?

Have you noticed how many say the former and do the latter?

Most of us are a mixture — we may start out happy and then something we see or hear turns us into a complainer. Or we may get into a rant about something.

I know it may seem foolish and childish, but you can make a Unicorn or Pegasus or a combination of the two creating your own little critter to remind you to be thankful, gracious, think positively and count your many blessings.

It’s Easy To Find Fault

But, at times, not so easy to find things to praise.

We do it with our family, friends and neighbors. We appraise people regularly, but may not say anything — hopefully not when negative thoughts come to mind. And many times praise comes out sounding flat and shallow.

Why?

Because it isn’t practiced enough. The negative too often comes to mind and right out of the mouth.

In Order To Be More Positive, You Need To Do Acts Of Kindness

Around the holidays it’s always easy to do little acts of kindness.

It isn’t so easy to do them on a daily basis or we haven’t given it enough thought.

I was running this idea by many friends and neighbors and complete strangers I encountered the other day.

One theme ran through their responses:

Society Has Such An “Entitlement Attitude”

One man said, “I don’t give as much as I used to. What you do isn’t appreciated. They think they’re entitled to a free meal at Thanksgiving or buying school clothes for their kids. I’m disgusted.”

Others chimed in:

“There was a man on the freeway off ramp with a sign, ‘Will Work For Food.’ I didn’t have a job for him, but I had a fresh cold container of orange juice I gave him.”

“That was very thoughtful.”

“Yes, especially with the weather being warm and who knew how long he was standing there.”

“Do you want to know what that man did?”

We all nodded in unison.

“He threw that orange juice bottle at my car as I was moving forward. I have a dent on my trunk where it landed.”

You may think this is just an isolated case

There were stories about giving food to someone who came to the door at dinner time.

“We were eating spaghetti, so I fixed a plate and gave it to the man at the door. He looked at it, stuck his fork in a meatball, took a bite and spit it out.”

“We were in the back yard with steaks on the bbq. This guy comes along without saying a word and takes a steak and walks away without a thank you or even a grunt of acknowledgment. I was thankful he took only one steak.”

I may not have succeed here with thoughts of kindness, being thankful and being more positive, but I have illustrated why with such experiences, we aren’t as giving and positive.

I have made and set out many of these paper craft Unicorns and Pegasuses around my house. I don’t want to be tainted by my own experiences and those of others.

I don’t know from where this “entitlement attitude” materialized. I know I don’t like it. I learned a long time ago that no one owes me anything.

Not a kind word and definitely not a hand-out in whatever form that may take.

These Unicorns and Pegasuses are a reminder to me to be more thankful, positive and kind. I think it’s a gentle way of encouraging children to think of others in a more kind manner and to truly appreciate all the blessings they have in life.

We Are Responsible For Changing Our Own Behavior

I don’t like others manipulating me to change my beliefs and attitudes any more than any other person likes being manipulated.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, beliefs and attitudes. It is wrong to inflict yours upon others, just as an individual declares something is offensive to them.

My goodness, if I had a nickel for every time I was offended by something . . .

To be completely honest with you, I don’t go around looking to be offended by certain things. I don’t think “offended” comes into play as much as not liking something. But my not liking something refers to my not liking it for myself, not trying to change something in others.

If there’s something about yourself you don’t like, then you can focus on it and take action to change it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen over-night, but with continued effort, you’ll make those changes.

I believe that what you concentrate upon is what you bring to you. It’s not magical. You’re more apt to notice those things you have in mind.

While I focus upon blessings and being thankful, I realize how truly blessed I am and how I have many things for which to be thankful.

The paper crafts are merely a reminder for me to leave the negativity behind and concentrate upon positive things. Things that enrich my life. Not tear it down.

It’s also helpful to find the humor in things, rather than being disgusted by them.

 

It’s all about choices and priorities. They’re different for everyone.

I’m pushing my thoughts ahead to Thanksgiving during this Halloween week because I’m prepared for Halloween and not for Thanksgiving. I know there are many who have Thanksgiving and Christmas all planned.

I am happy for them. They have travel reservations to set up. I admire planning ahead.

I’ve rambled long enough.

I’m very grateful to those of you who have read this post to the end.

I hope the Unicorns and Pegasus find a place in your home. They are cute and well fed on your many kindnesses, positive thoughts, blessings and thankfulness.

Sharon

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