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I tend to focus on the negative of people and situations. It is a bad habit and I’m working on it.

There are so many resources out there about being grateful: books, videos, blog posts. It is a lot of info and I don’t know where to begin.

The common thought is that when you want to change something, you’ve got to start within.

I heard on television someone say that if you couldn’t find anything to be grateful for, start with “I can breathe on my own”. That is true. I’m not on a machine. Lungs are healthy and working.

I don’t think it should become a comparison such as I’m better off than this other person, but rather what can I find within myself and my surroundings to be grateful for today?

I looked up the definition of the word “gracious” which lead me to another definition:

grace of God – (Christian theology) the free and unmerited favor or beneficence of God;

The Free Dictionary Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

beneficence-The state or quality of being kind, charitable, or beneficial.

The Free Dictionary American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

The Bible mentions people that are gracious or God is gracious towards them. The Lord was gracious to Sarah (Gen 21:1), Hannah (1 Sam 2:21) and Israel (2 Kings 13:22-24). In the last mention, “Israel” is a nation and not the actual person.

Write it down, make a mental note or put it on your phone. What am I grateful for today?

We as a human race are so blessed and we have so much to be thankful for. We need to recognize the instances of this no matter how small they seem. Being thankful for one’s breath may seem insignificant, but I believe it is a way to begin to notice the wonders and miracles all around us. When that happens, I believe we recognize God and draw nearer to him.