Tag Archives: gratitude

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like…”

Posted on by

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

— William Arthur Ward, one of America’s most quoted writers

Photo from Flickr by Steven Depolo

Photo from Flickr by Steven Depolo

Six or seven years ago the economy in Michigan and the U.S. hit a rough patch. Most people were tightening their belts and cutting back on unessential expenditures.

That year, my wife Wendy and I agreed that we would take the vacation we both desired, and consider the trip the only holiday gift we would give each other.

When the holidays arrived, I was shocked and upset to find a pile of presents in front of our fireplace. Before I could utter a word, Wendy said: “Calm down. I know you think I’ve broken my promise. Before you say anything, please open one of the gifts.”

To my surprise, she had boxed and wrapped many of my favorite things  from around the house — my favorite book, a special tie, my most comfortable sweater — because she wanted to express her love and gratitude to me by surprising me with gifts to unwrap.

EXERCISE:

What new and creative ways can you find to express your gratitude this Thanksgiving, and throughout this holiday season?

#43: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life…”

Posted on by

“…It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

– Melody Beattie, self-help author

This quote seems to stand on its own. Answer these two open-ended questions and complete the exercise to explore its depths.

How can you shift your desire for more to being thankful with what you have?

How can you stop resisting the life that is before you, and allow and accept what is?

Exercise:

Make a list of all the things, people, and blessings you can be grateful for.

Please add the sheer blessing of being alive to your list – for without this, you would not be doing the exercise!

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.

#36: “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed…”

Posted on by

“…Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

– Denis Waitley, motivational speaker

Similar to the quote “the best things in life are not things,” this statement points to the idea that happiness, to a large extent, is an inside job. The work of building extraordinary relationships with others, our creator (or higher power), and ourselves is well worth pursuing.

The depth and full richness of the words love, grace and gratitude seems to be infinite and enduring, whereas the real world is finite and limited.

Exercise:

What efforts, practices, and habits, can you pursue and expand to enhance your happiness and your spiritual experience of living?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your email address in the sidebar to the right.