When it’s Hard-to-Give-Thanks-giving

Thanksgiving is a time to remember our blessings and voice our gratitude to God, our friends and family, and to ourselves. 

If you are astute enough to acknowledge that you’re not as thankful as you should be, you’re actually in a good place! My husband recognized years before I did that I had a problem and that I wasn’t happy. 

I knew it wasn’t logical for me to be ungrateful, do I just kept brushing the thoughts and emotions away. I have everything I need. I have a beautiful, wonderful family. I have a great job. I’m doing things I love. I have awesome friends, great parents, plenty of food, a place to live, a car … how horrible and selfish would it be for me to be unhappy?

One key to noticing that you are struggling with ungratefulness is frequent complaining. No matter what, there’s always something that’s not perfect. This is something that I and many moms struggle with on a regular basis. 

Of course, if we have any kind of perspective, we realize that there are millions of people who are more unfortunate than us, and far more justified in feeling ungrateful. Personally, I’ve got to be in the top 5% of people who should not be complaining. And yet … I complain … SO MUCH.

There’s three steps we can follow to help us snap out of the Hard-to-Give-Thanks-giving mode. 

1. Acknowledge we have a bad habit of complaining. 

The first step to overcoming a problem is acknowledging it! Are you constantly voicing your wish that things were different? Do you tend to notice the hardship in situations instead of focusing on your blessings? Has anyone ever pointed this out to you? Examining your heart frequently is a crucial part of self-growth. 

2. Grow in contentment through better perspective. 

Read this article here about the importance of contentment. Adjust your perspective by realizing that everything changes quickly. The things you are suffering through will likely change soon – you just need patience. Also, things are rarely as bad as they seem. 

3. Make a habit of meditating on your blessings. 

Philippians 4:8 says to think about good things. One way you can do this is to have a happiness journal. Every day write down three things about your day that made you happy. Also, make a habit of telling your friends and family the things you are blessed with, not just focusing on the things that need to change. And lastly, remember to thank God daily for all the blessings He’s given you. 

Good luck to you on your happiness journey! Having a thankful heart is a huge step.