The Practice of Gratitude

My mother used to write at least a thank-you note each day of her adult life. She was asked once, what she did where there was no one to thank. She answered, “There’s always someone to thank.”

Mom had that “attitude of gratitude” that we hear about so much, but she had something more important. She had the practice of gratitude.

Attitude is fine, but it’s invisible. It lives inside your head where no one but you can see it. The real benefits of gratitude don’t kick in until you start practicing gratitude habits.

Gratitude is Good for You

Gratitude helps you stay on an even keel, even in stressful situations. Gratitude helps keep you grounded and humble. Expressing gratitude can help strengthen the bonds of social support.

Write Your Gratitude
Writing helps you concentrate on the things you’re grateful for. It helps you understand how many things you have to be grateful for.

Keep a gratitude journal. Note the things that you’re grateful for. Then, don’t just think about those things, savor the memory of them.

Write thank-you notes and emails. You don’t have to match my mother’s three-notes-every-day standard, but take the time to write. Handwritten notes are especially powerful.

Speak Your Gratitude

Thank people for the good things they do, both for you and for others. Praise them. If you pray, be sure to thank God.

Act Your Gratitude

Show people that you value them and you’re grateful for their presence in your life. Give them time and attention. Take time for conversations.

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Actor Denzel Washington Says God 'Always Had Faith in Him'

Actor Denzel Washington has spoken about the experience in his walk with God, saying at a recent function God has always had faith in him.

Washington, has never been shy in expressing his Christian faith, made his comments at a recent function by the Church of God in Christ in St. Louis, Missouri.

Denzel Washington 

"There's never been a time where God didn't direct, protect, and correct me," Washington said at the annual event. "There may have been times where I was less than faithful to him, but he had faith in me."

Washington has spoken out about his Christian faith before, previously telling GQ Magazine that he reads the Bible daily, adding that such an activity isn't difficult, as he is the son of a pastor.

"I read from the Bible every day, and I read my Daily Word," Washington said, adding that his preacher father "wasn't a taskmaster, but there were certain things you couldn't do."

"He had his own church, and it was a long Sunday, because you had to be there all day," the actor added.

"Everyone I grew up with didn't have a father," he continued. "I had a father. My father was a decent man. He was a very spiritual man and a gentleman."

The well-known actor also made his faith known during a graduation ceremony speech at Dillard University back in May, where he told students to "put God first."

"Number one: Put God first," he said. "Put God first in everything you do."

"Everything you think you see in me, everything I've accomplished, everything you think I have – and I have a few things," said Washington. "Everything that I have is by the grace of God. Understand that. It's a gift."

The Boy Next Door: The Importance Of Communication

After almost a year of trial, I finally threw caution to the wind and decided to speak to the boy who lives next door. He is not what I thought he was after all. He is a only a boy trying to come to terms with the realities of life. He is just a boy. I have learnt the importance of communication.

The  Importance Of Communication File Photo

Everyday for the past year, I lived a life of suspicion. Always thinking the boy next door was out to do harm to me and my property. Ever since the boy moved in, my mind was always suspicious of everything about him. I would monitor all his movements and record them in the diary of my mind. In my mind I built a database of everything suspicious about the boy. I always viewed the boy as rebellious. Every perceived characteristic that I picked out from the boy influenced my thoughts and attitude towards the boy.

When my red rose flower was stolen sometime back, he was my first suspect. I never found enough evidence to convince myself that he was the one responsible for the theft of my beloved flower. My investigative instinct helped me gather important information about his name and background. I googled for as much information as possible about the boy next door. In a way I did a thorough job in searching all the social networks just to confirm my unknown fears.

It was after I had gathered all the relevant information that I yesterday called his name over my wall. He politely answered and we started a conversation that changed my general perception of him and other people around me. In short the boy revealed to me that he had come to live with his uncle whilst trying to look for a job to turn him around. I am generally a talkative person and so we spoke for a good three hours until I was called in to attend to some tasks that I had set aside the previous day.

Many times in life we create in our minds models of people we like and don't like. We fail to afford the power of the ability communicate with people a chance. When I spoke to the boy next door I was even shocked that the tone of his voice was not what I had thought it to be.

I have learnt that in life, everyone has a person next door. We become suspicious of people that we don't understand. Sometimes we label them as potential danger to our minds and as such every action they do is a perceived potential harm.

I now regard the boy next door as my son. He is only a boy trying to navigate the terrains and realities of life.

Discover a boy or girl next door and have a conversation today. Learn the skill to communicate with people around you.