One Old Dude's Guide to Growing Up Gracefully
  • Blog
  • Published Articles
  • Welcome
    • Dudeism
    • Contact
  • Grate Recipes
  • Ask Wali
  • The Artwork of Brianna Torre
  • MBI Coaches' Summit
  • A Celebration of the Life of Sylvia Schmitt

Gratitude Dude

10/29/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
As we approach this uniquely American holiday of Thanksgiving, I’m reminded of the true reason we celebrate. And no, it’s not gluttony, football or even the pilgrims, for that matter. It is gratitude.  Just the fact that we are free to go where we want, say what we believe, eat what we like, love who we choose (and even marry them in some states) and wear (or choose not to wear) the clothing we prefer would make the majority of people around the world green with envy.  Unfortunately, many Americans insist on focusing on what they believe is missing in their lives or what their neighbor has, instead of being thankful for all the blessings bestowed on them.

Research has shown that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis experience better physical and psychological health combined with a much stronger sense of wellbeing. They tend to be more optimistic, joyful and engaged in life. They are far less susceptible to negative emotions such as anger, anxiety or even depression. In addition, gratefulness and optimism have been linked with better immune health. A University of Utah study found that stressed-out law students who were optimistic had more immune-boosting blood cells than those who were pessimistic. The simple truth is that being grateful is just good for your overall health.


When I first open my eyes in the morning, I like to take a sort of “Gratitude Inventory”. Before I get out of bed, I try to make it a point to run through a mental list of everything for which I’m grateful. It really seems to set the tone for the day and helps me to focus on and appreciate other things I experience throughout the day.  When I’m having a particularly difficult day, I try to take a few moments to review my list. It always seems to make the situation a little less worrisome.

Sometimes I feel the need to give a little “constructive criticism” to my amazingly accepting girlfriend and what I’ve found is that if I preface my comment with letting her know just how truly grateful I am for her, it tends to make the process of working through our differences go much more smoothly.  If I find myself getting upset or angry with someone I encounter, I tell myself to stop, take a deep breath and try to think of reasons why I’m grateful that this crazy SOB has come into my life. I’m not saying this one is easy, but when I’m able to pull it off, I can literally feel my mood shift away from anger. When I hit that proverbial bump in the road on the highway of life, I tend to look at it as a learning opportunity. Many times, the lessons of my failures have led to some of my greatest successes.

One of my favorite expressions of gratitude is the simple act of saying thank you. Not only does this make me feel better about myself, but it just might be the single interaction that turns that person’s day in a positive direction and that can be contagious. Most importantly, I try to focus on all the wonderful things I do have and not the things I don’t.  I’m not telling you that I don’t have bad days and sometimes fall off the “gratitude wagon”, but in the words of John F. Kennedy (a great dude indeed), “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them”.


Have a Grateful Thanksgiving Dudes!


1 Comment
Elizabeth Scott
10/30/2013 01:43:35 am

An attitude of gratitude. I too run through my grateful list throughout the day. Thanks for your contribution to the world.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to The Dudesletter Monthly Newsletter

    * indicates required
    Picture

    About Wali,
    The Grateful Dude

    In my formative years, I was lucky enough to attend an amazing high school modeled after the freedom school from the Billie Jack films. The curriculum included outdoor education, pottery and organic farming and emphasized values like creativity, self awareness and a strong sense of community. I spent several summers traveling from show to show with The Grateful Dead and found that not only could I beat the crap out of a plastic bucket in a drum circle, I was also quite the imported beer salesman. My early career started off in the eighties driving limousine for posers, drug dealers and wannabe rock stars in Los Angeles. In the late eighties, I was introduced to the former owner of Paradise Lakes Nudist Resort who had just seduced and proposed to my roommate while she was on vacation in Florida. Fred took me aside one afternoon  and told me, “I like you, kid and since I’m taking your roommate and I’m pretty sure you can’t afford this beach rental on your own, why not come on out to Florida? I’ll find you a place to stay, give you a job and you’ll be surrounded by naked women”. So I loaded up my truck and moved to Paradise. Lakes, that is. Swimmin’ pools. Porno stars. (insert banjo solo here).

    I wake up every morning (well almost every morning) knowing that today is a wonderful gift to be unwrapped and explored. I believe that every day is filled with limitless possibilities and endless abundance. I’m convinced that our true purpose in life is to interact with our fellow beings and give witness to this amazing universe that surrounds us.

    If you are searching for miracles in life, you need go no farther than your backyard to realize that we are living in the midst of the greatest miracle of all.

    Archives

    October 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed