My Thankful List From April 2011

The first time I watched The Secret I'd been at my new job less than a month. I was still reeling from a divorce, my son had left for the summer, and I hadn't had a very good week at work. I needed to relax and found The Secret on Netflix.

I was immediately drawn into the stories, drawn into the concepts. It resonated with me so strongly. And when it got to the point where they discussed being thankful for what you already had, that hit me right in the heart and the head. I paused the movie and wrote out this list:

I am thankful for my job.
I am thankful for my car.
I am thankful for the house I rent.
I am thankful for my son and (formerly ex) husband.
I am thankful for a supportive mom.
I am thankful for the luxuries I do have - computer, Internet, smart phone.
I am thankful that I am healthy.
I am thankful for supportive friends.
I am thankful for the church and its members.
I am thankful for my pets.
I am thankful that I have food to eat.
I am thankful that I have clothes to wear.
I am thankful to be alive another day.

What are you thankful for?

Gratitude changes attitude

I remember this very, very well. It was a Thursday night and I'd had a pretty bad day at work. How bad can a day go when you've only had a job for about three weeks? It was pretty bad. I was stressed, I hated that I had to go back the next day. I was alone in my house having a pity party.

That was the day I decided I wanted to read The Secret and see if I could find the DVD on Netflix to rent. I'd finished Think and Grow Rich and another positive thinking book. I was thrilled to find that The Secret movie was streaming on Netflix. So I made supper and sat down to watch while folding laundry.

The movie blew me away, seriously. I started taking notes. Then it got to the part about gratitude. How we needed to have gratitude in our lives, how we needed to be thankful for everything in our lives. And that was a major wake up call to me. I realized the language I'd already started using - Thank God tomorrow is Friday. I wish I didn't have to go back to work. I can't wait for the weekend. All of the negative language was there and it wasn't making my job very pleasant. And I realized - it's not work. It's not the job. It's not the people or the duties. It's me.

So I remembered what it felt like the day I got the job offer. I remembered the feelings I had, happy, excited, scared. I remembered doing the paperwork and I remembered my first day at the office. I thought about how quickly the day went by, how much I had learned. I thought about the money I was being paid, which was more than what I had asked for when I'd prayed about a full time job. And I immediately prayed for forgiveness.

I took a piece of paper and started making a list of everything I was grateful for. My family, my job, my health, a running car, a roof over my head, food to eat, money to pay the bills. Everything I could think of. And I could feel the stress from the day fade away.

When I went in to work the next day, I greeted my supervisor with a "Good morning," grabbed my coffee and got to work. I could feel the shift in energy there. And it was a good day.

Every time I get upset about work now I remember that feeling. While this job is not my end all - be all, something I've always wanted to do, I am thankful to have it. I look at that gratitude list and I remember all the things I do have in my life and how wonderful they all are. I watch my language as well. No more thank God it's Friday or Oh, God it's Monday. Remember that your words are powerful.

So the next time you're in a funk, check your gratitude. Make a list of all the things you're thankful for. And let gratitude shift your attitude.