Gratitude is, easily, one of the most important traits someone can possess.
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Giving thanks is something
that we are all taught to do as children, but not until we are older do we
really start to appreciate the little things given to us. All the people we
have met have made a difference in our life, and we should always remember
to thank them for their impact.
Gratitude is good for the
mind, body, and soul. Being grateful is a way to earn respect from those around
you. Continually thanking people will show them that you have good morals and
really do appreciate everything that is given to you. For example, when my
parents come to visit, I am so grateful when they buy groceries for me because
that saves me a little bit of extra cash. Once you live on your own, you definitely
begin to notice the small things you were never really thankful for before.
Especially living in America and going to a big university, it is difficult to
remember to give thanks for the small things because most
of us have never really gone without.
Showing a
lot of gratitude for the good things that happen in our lives will lead one to
be happier. From each experience that we go through, we learn more
about ourselves, and ourselves in relation to others. You can never give too much
gratitude. Like a chain reaction, the people around you will begin
to become more grateful, as well.
Being thankful comes from
within. You cannot begin to be thankful for the things around you if you are
constantly comparing yourself to others. Our generation is always yearning for
the next big thing, such as the new iPhone, or a new car, or even something as
simple as a tattoo. It is so easy to overlook the little aspects of our lives
that we should really be thankful for when there are so many distractions in
this generation.
We go through many of our days in a haze because we are
waiting for something, or someone, to come along to satisfy us. But we already
have the ability to do that, if we just look around us and appreciate what we have
already been given.
