Being Thankful Now for The "Not Yets"

The Rolling Stones may have said it best — "You can't always get what you want; But if you try sometimes well you just might find; You get what you need". They may have been on to something. And for me, gratitude lists seem to work in this same sort of fashion. Something huge missing from your life? Start by being grateful for what you have. Your family, even if they’re driving you nuts. Your income, even if you hate your job. Does this read like a page from some self-help book? Maybe. Does it work? YES (in my humble opinion). Why? I'm not sure. But here are my reasons, in two parts. 

First, it immediately removes the constant pining and whining, as in the "Why can't this just happen already?!?” and “Wouldn't it just be easier if xyz just dropped into my life with zero effort?!?” scenarios. I tend to really replay these thoughts, going over and over them until I’ve run them into the ground. Well, I have come to realize that the thoughts, feelings and visions in our minds are more powerful than we think, and the endless wishin’ and a hopin’ and a prayin’ with no direction gives the "if onlys" more power, which generally leaves me feeling helpless and incapable. 

Second, being grateful — for your car or your health or any silver lining you can find in a given situation, starts you on a path of accomplishment. Be proud of what you have now. Really sit in that feeling: the sense of having what you want and the satisfaction and fulfillment it brings you. Swim in that feeling until your fingers look like prunes. Why? Because feeling a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment can lead to new scenarios, new situations that create more satisfaction and fulfillment. Once you manifest these things in your life, you have created a space for the same experience to repeat itself for things that you want but don’t yet have. And that’s what we're really looking to do: add to that list. 

So lets be grateful for what we have now, and what we will soon add in the future...right now. Sounds a little kooky?  So what? What do we have to really lose anyway? Just try it, see if it doesn’t leave you in a better mental place for your day. Then, be on the lookout for a situation to present itself. A situation that has the potential to fast-track you into making your "if only" scenario into reality…and go for it!

Author: Amy