How Gratitude and Willie Nelson Can Change Your Life

When it comes to words of wisdom and advice for living a grateful life, we typically find resolution from the likes of Buddha, Mother Teresa, Deepak Chopra, and Willie Nelson.  Wait, who?  Yep, here’s a brief but profound quote from the outlaw of country music himself:

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around”  -- Willie Nelson

Short, sweet, and to the point.  But it’s also easier said than done; to be grateful that is. Most of us

generally think that gratitude is something you say out loud, like “thank you”, but gratitude is deeper than that.  It’s something you feel, but it must be practiced, recognized, and shared.  And the more you practice gratitude, the less effort it becomes.  Here are ten examples of gratitude:

·         Gratitude is a conscious effort to appreciate what you already have, not what you don’t have, and certainly not worrying about what others have.  

·         Gratitude is also about valuing what’s good in your life and not dwelling on the bad stuff. Most of us have had, or will have had misfortunes at some point in our life. 

·         Gratitude is about giving credit to others, but not discounting your own achievements. You can find gratitude in winning or succeeding without the burden of humility.

·         Gratitude drives your desire to do more – for yourself and for others – not to be complacent.  

·         Gratitude is listening to a story that’s been told and retold by a family member or friend, but listening just as intently this time as you did the first time.  

·         Gratitude is sieving sand through your fingers on the beach, appreciating each grain.

·         Gratitude is the quiet time you have to sit and appreciate something – a good book, a warm drink, a letter from a friend.

·         Gratitude is acknowledging a smile from a stranger you pass on the street.

·         Gratitude is an open mind and the ability to learn and grow intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally.

·         Gratitude is being alive, healthy, able bodied and able minded, and being thankful for whatever degree each is in, because it can always be worse.   

What’s your definition of gratitude?  How do you practice it?  How do you share it?   The fact is we have so much to be grateful for.  For example, this beautiful, mild climate we’ve been experiencing throughout the month of November.  It’s hard to believe we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving this week! 

So as you prepare to gather with friends and family on Thursday, take a long quiet moment this week to think about what it means to be grateful. And think about those pioneers of gratitude (Willie Nelson included) and the conscious decisions they made to care more about what they have than what they don’t. 

From all of us here at Movement Works, we wish you and your family peace, love, spirit, and mindfulness this Thanksgiving holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!