Gratitude, the key to prosperity

Do you ever have those days when you wake up just bursting to the seams with gratitude for all that you have? Well i sure did...on the floor of my apartment!!! The picture you see to your right is one that captures a moment in which my attitude of gratitude was challenged. To take the high road, or the low, dwarfed, and naive one. But more on that in a second...

As I've reflected a lot on gratitude lately I've noticed that i am not always that grateful, and when i am i don't express that gratitude nearly as much as i ought to. Why is that? I have a few thoughts as to why that may be.

Is it because we are so busy and hustled that we don't stop to ponder and consider the things that we ought to be grateful for?

Are we really that entitled that we don't feel the need to stop and say thank you to your cousin who taught you the importance of "being a real man and being responsible for your actions" in a passing comment?

Whatever the reason, one thing for sure is that it makes a difference bigger than Mount Doom to the ones that you are expressing gratitude.

Just a few thoughts on expressing gratitude that i've had recently:

• If you don't do it (especially to others) it gets weird. But the more you do it, the easier it gets! It's like exercise...

• If you are grateful you are far more likely to be loved and blessed in the future. Think of giving someone a gift and how their response affects your likelihood of future gift giving. 

• It changes your perspective. You go from wanting to receive, to wanting to give back to those who have blessed you.

• We should always express gratitude, even for things that we are seemingly ungrateful for. As we do, we will begin to find the good in everything.

• Expressing gratitude makes our burdens lighter ("Count Your Blessings" LDS Hymn 241 - verse 2)

I hope that some of those are enlightening to you. They sure were to me as i typed them. The truth is there is not enough time, nor space on the server that hosts my blog, to adequately express gratitude for all that i have, but here are a few:

my faith, my family, my friends, my talents, the sunset, the unexpected text from an old friend, the variety of culture and people i'm exposed to here in Salt Lake City, LDS Business College, my life mentors, pineapple and it's sweet and unique flavor, music and it's healing power in times of need, harsh but loving counsel that guides you when you may not see things clearly, the smell of the wet ground right after the rain, the chance to do things that scare and stretch you every day, my health, the seaside, camping, good jokes, technology, my job, motivational quotes, patient teachers, good movies, beautiful people, jelly bellies, missionaries, long boards, swimming pools on hot days, great metaphors that teach principles simply and clearly, honorable examples, blenders, well fitting socks, breakfast visits with good people, deep conversations about life and people, water, sweet smelling flowers, and many many many other things


When was the last time that you said thank you to someone whose influence drastically changed the course of your life? When was the last time you took an extra 5 minutes to send a thank you email to someone who got you through a hard time? How often do you give thanks for the hardships and trials that help you grow and more fully reach your potential?

I hope that we can all give thanks and prosper. One more thing that i am grateful for is, not only the luxury bed that i was blessed to sleep on for just over 4 months, but for the past few nights that i've slept on the floor that have seemed to cure a sharp pain ive had in my back that I've had for years.

Be Grateful