Is thank you a four-letter word?

I am beginning to believe it is; since, not too many people use it nowadays.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

The Basic Habits of Gratitude:

The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their trouble. William Penn

As we read Gods word, we can see the theme of being thankful. There are hundreds of verses telling us to give thanks, or offer praise to God. Outside of the Bible, you will find lots of articles and research stating the benefits that come with being a grateful person. People who are thankful are known to be less depressed, get better grades in school, sleep better, stay healthy, have deeper friendships, and have a brighter outlook on life. Basically, gratitude is good for you!

Whether your life is moving along smoothly, or it feels like you are walking in quicksand, consider adding these daily habits to your life:

Create new pathways.

Dr. Caroline Leaf, cognitive neuroscientist and author, said, As you think, you change the structure of your brain.

This is not easy. But, we have a choice in what we think about; so let us allow thoughts of gratefulness to fill our minds.

Choose five things.

Make a daily habit to say or write five things for which you are thankful. You can do it any time of the day, morning or night!

Set a gratitude alarm.

Choose different times in the day. When the alarm goes off, ask God to bring to mind the blessings and gifts in your life, and thank him for them.

Tell someone.

Everyday, talk to someone about for what you are thankful. Maybe it is their friendship, the sunrise, a powerful moment with God, or an unexpected blessing you received. Saying it makes it more real.

It is vital that we make our gratitude habitual; so that when lifes storms come upon us, we know how to navigate the rough waters. A part of this is trusting God and being intentional in our choice to be grateful; both on a beautiful morning like today (even when there is liquid sunshine), and in the storms that will come along.

Thank you for making time for this trivial matter.