By: D. A. Slinkard
We are now to the letter “G” and our word is Gratitude. The definition is: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. When it comes to your life, do you show gratitude for others? Do you show gratitude for what you have in your life? It is a yes-or-no answer and, far too many people do not show enough gratitude when it comes to life. Too many people take things for granted and in doing so miss out on so many blessings.
I have found gratitude as an effective way to change my mindset. It is easy to think negatively in life – to become a “Debbie Downer” – but when we start to show gratitude for what we have in life, we can change a negative mindset into that of a positive one. The world needs more positive people in order to have the necessary impact on society.
Too many people are focusing in on the negative, focusing in on what they do not have or do not want, and we need to have gratitude for life’s blessings. Instead of thinking about how far you still have to go, try to reflect and be thankful for the progress you have already made. The more gratitude I have in life, the happier I seem to be. I have a lot to be grateful for and chances are so do you.
It is having a proper perspective and an adequate amount of gratitude that helps us when difficult times come in life. There will always be valleys in life and there will be mountaintops. We all like living on the mountaintops, and though it would be nice to bounce from mountaintop to mountaintop, the reality is we must go through a valley to get to the next mountaintop. It is inevitable that the valley will be coming, and we need to pay attention to see who we can help elevate with us to reach that next mountaintop.
What usually happens instead is we only focus on our own situation, and we become blinded to others that could benefit from our life experiences and help. When we help others it helps us to have an impact on the world around us and can change our own opinions about our lives. We need to constantly be on the lookout for those we can help.
When we see life through the lens of gratitude, it changes our way of thinking. Instead of seeing challenges as setbacks or negative events, we can ask ourselves what each moment can teach us. Life will give us trials and tests but we must remember that you cannot have a testimony without a test. You cannot have a message without a mess. We need to take what happens in our life and be thankful and reflect upon what we need to do in order to get where we want to be.
We are where we are at in life because of decisions we have made. The decisions I made five years ago led me to today, and the decisions I make today will lead me to the destination I reach five years from now. The question becomes whether or not we will be proactive in our growth, or will we simply be reactive to what life throws at us?
I cannot answer this question for anyone other than myself, and the same is true for you. If we want to change the course of our lives, we must first change the course of our thinking. We need to do a better job of showing gratitude. I suggest having a Gratitude Journal and take a moment each morning to reflect on three things you’re grateful for. This simple habit rewires your brain for positivity. I suggest in the morning because we need to run the day or the day will run us.
We also need to learn how to express appreciation to others. People need to hear more positive talk coming from our mouths. We live in such a negative world that we can become that positive difference in the lives of others. Expressing appreciation strengthens relationships—whether in business, friendships, or family. People remember how you make them feel. The most successful people practice gratitude regularly. It keeps them humble, driven, and focused on what truly matters. Just like exercise, the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. Take the first step now and watch your life change for the better.
By: D. A. Slinkard
April 18, 2025
