Giving thanks is more than thanking someone else; it is evaluating what you have. Whenever a person gives thanks they also think about what they value. I am thankful for food, shelter, family, friends, and career. While the first insight focuses on what helps me each item was produced through several chains of events.
Food is something you bought, because income from a career or someone close to you bought, because they care about your future. Farmers planted and harvested grain, fruit and vegetables. Ranchers raised and slaughtered animals. Many lives were involved in sustaining all people's lives. Farmers, plants, ranchers and animals needed shelter, food, water and light to grow healthy and strong. All people should give thanks to the Earth for being a hospitable planet. Some people give thanks to God, since life would not exist without God's presence.
Through giving gratitude a person sees how the many parts of their life fit together and open themselves to understanding. Understanding is more than a few simple words. It produces empathy; sympathy; knowledge of themselves; knowledge of their environment, and knowledge of people. We also give thanks for wisdom. After spending a great deal of time thinking of everything we have envy becomes a distant thought. Now we are empowered and able to see the world clearly.
Wanting and envy are hallowing activities making people want to run away from issues because it is easier to think of an enchanted future. The idea of happiness associated with things, people or whatever stimulates desire becomes secondary when recognizing we already have parts of happiness, making it easier to live now. Now is no longer a reality of constantly trying, suffering and working to gain a dream.
Often moody behavior results from feeling as though no one cares or listens or there is someone or something better. Perhaps someone with more to offer or more sympathy would be nice; however, this dismisses the activities of people who are available to help now. The fantasy is always out-of-reach, because an individual has to gives thanks to realize people do care and listen. Recognizing this creates self-esteem.
It may seem odd, thinking about how thanking someone or something else makes a person recognize their own significance. Often reality is distorted through various stimuli. Similar to complaining about someone else to figure out how to improve, revering someone else helps recognize strengths. Author Rhonda Byrne claims she studied the greatest minds throughout history to learn the secret of success. Self-esteem might be why one of the steps in "the Secret" is gratitude.
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Thanks and Giving by Marlo Thomas
