The Beauty of Thankfulness (Possible New Year’s Resolution?)

I was convicted while still in college that my attitude was too pessimistic and negative. From adolescence my mind had been trained to be cynical and to focus on the bad. While I was thankful when good things would happen, my thankfulness rarely would last long. But when bad things would happen, I would find myself dwelling on it much longer than necessary. Because of this, I felt a strong need to be more thankful. So starting when I was 21, I began to take a moment each night before going to sleep to thank God for different things that happened during my day. For example: “Thank you for a good breakfast in the morning. Thank you for seeing my friend while walking to class. Thank you for some time to exercise in the afternoon. Thank you for dinner with some friends on campus… etc.” I soon realized that even on the “worst” days, I still had a lot to be thankful for.

A few years after moving to Korea I began listing (on my computer) three things I am thankful for each day. I especially tried to type sweet moments that I would likely later forget (such as a kid giving me a hug or someone giving me a word of affirmation). I didn’t type full journal entries, but rather would just list them. I still do this today. What I’ve found is that at the end of each year I usually think that the year wasn’t that significant and that I didn’t grow or experience that much. But then when I look over my thank you doc on my computer and highlight the extra meaningful moments from the list, I become blown away by how much happened! If I hadn’t listed all those moments I was thankful for then I likely would have forgotten them and would have had low expectation for the next year. But because I can see just how special the past year was, I can look to the new year with much more excitement.  

After marrying Sky she also felt a desire to grow in being thankful. So each night we speak in Korean (to also help me practice my Korean) and share five things we are thankful for from the day. We alternate back and forth until we have each shared five. Even on sick days or tough days we can still both find at least five things we were thankful for. The more you work at being thankful, the more you realize you have so much to be thankful for! It just takes some simple effort. My attitude has gotten so much better from where it was at before.

Consider being more thankful as one of your resolutions for the new year. You can list three things each day or take a moment before you sleep each night to pray out what you are thankful for from your day. You will be blessed!

Proverbs 18:21 – Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Speak some life! Be thankful! =)