It's In the Little Things

  Do you want to know how to build contentedness in your life?  Contentedness grows from fostering a grateful spirit, from learning to appreciate everything you are given.  If you don't believe me, try writing down 100 things in your life that you have to be thankful for, and see if you don't start to feel better about yourself and where you are at.  You see, we should never settle for where we are and assume we can't go further, but we should also learn to be content no matter what phase of life we're in.  (Remember that lesson on Joy?)  This may require you to shift your perspective.  (There's a blog on that too...Take a Look Around)
   I know I've told you this before, but this message is too important to only talk about once.  No material things can bring you peace and contentment.  What can bring you contentment is getting great at appreciating.  I can't even tell you how many times I have been overwhelmed by how good my life is because I took the time to look around and count my blessings.  When I start thinking of my health, a roof over my head, a cozy chair, a hot cup of coffee, a new book, I realize there are endless things in life to appreciate.  Not only things, but people too.  You will be amazed at how your relationships will transform if you apply this concept to the people in your life.  Start appreciating them.   As my mentors often say, "Treat every crumb as a feast."  Think about the people in your life who are closest to you.  Did you thank your spouse for cooking dinner tonight?  Did you tell your co-worker how much you appreciate them covering your shift at work so you could go to your kid's baseball game?  How about your cashier at Wal-mart, your server at Applebees or your teller at the bank.  What if we all learned to live with grateful spirits?  We would do much more than build contentedness in our lives.  We would start and epidemic of happiness and gratitude.  Imagine the transformation in your home, your town, and yourself if you just began to appreciate things a little more.  I challenge you to start living with a grateful spirit.  I appreciate you!  Live with contentment!

~K.W.