Lately I've been thinking a lot about a topic that is talked about so much but that's because it is so important, and that is gratitude. Gratitude is something that must be practiced daily until it becomes a permanent part of your life. I personally think a very beneficial exercise to practice giving thanks is to get out a notebook and start a list of things you are thankful for. If your list comes to an end, you probably don't practice enough gratitude.

Have Your Voice Heard: Become an Odyssey Creator

My coach told my team once that you can't be stressed and thankful at the same time, and that stuck with me. I've been trying to be more intentional about thanking God for what He has given me, and the result has been monumental. I am now a generally more positive person, and not only have I noticed it myself, but others have noticed it in me as well. Some studies show that your emotions and feelings literally radiate up to ten feet away from you, and others can unconsciously sense and pick up that energy from you. Do you want the vibes that you give off to be negative or positive?

When I feel stressed, I am making a habit to stop and start thanking God for everything that comes to mind. 1 Thessalonians encourages to do this, as it reads "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." By the time I'm done sending prayers of thanks to God, I feel much better and it puts all my problems and stresses in a better perspective. I tell you all this not to boast in how good I am (because that is simply not true), but in the fact that God has changed me through this different outlook and to invite you all to be changed in the same way. If we were all a little bit less greedy and a little bit more thankful, the world would be a better place.

Not only has counting my blessings and intentionally living life more gratefully had a positive effect on my own life, it has positively affected my relationships with other people. I am still growing and getting better, of course, but I am learning how to do a better job of showing gratitude towards someone I care for. If I care for someone, or someone does something that I am appreciative of, I've learned to say "thank you for ______" or "I appreciate you." These things might seem small and insignificant, but the little things add up to the big things in regards to a friendship, family or other relationship.

Years ago, one of my Facebook friends shared a typical quote picture, and instead of scrolling past it, I stopped and read it, and I've thought about it every day since. The quote went something like this: "What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?" That rocked my world. I asked my friends this question: "What is something you're thankful for that you've never thought to specifically thank God for?" It led to some great discussions. Some people thought of the big things, like their ambition or their health. Some other people thought of the little things, like socks, water, or their pillow. This showed me that there is always something to be grateful for, and that God is faithful to give us the big and the small things even though we don't always remember to thank Him for them.

To be a truly grateful person, it is important to remember that we can't be expectant of anything when are deserving of nothing. Everything God gives us is a gift immeasurably beyond what we deserve. When we deserved nothing but a fiery death, God decided he would love us anyway. God decided he would still give me food to eat, clothes to wear, amazing people to be surrounded by, the chance to receive a good education, the opportunity to play sports, and so much more. We are all so undeserving, yet we are all so blessed.

True gratitude comes from when you are able to give thanks for what isn't an outright blessing, but rather something that you didn't necessarily want. Maybe you got sick, or you failed a class, or you got scheduled to work a day you didn't want to work. Instead of saying "I hate this" or feeling ungrateful, instead say "Thank you that I still have a body that will bring me back to health," or "Thank you that I have the opportunity to learn every day," or "Thank you that I have a job which I can make money and serve You at." This outlook will drastically change how you see the world, and your relationships, your attitude, and your life will improve because of it.