Living a Thankful Life…

By Jane Tanfei|Jul 27 2012 | Thankful Thursday, Thoughts

I have decided that I need to write down the things I am thankful for a lot more frequently than I do.

Now, the way my brain works, I tend to focus on negative things – things that irritate me, or things I have no control over. There’s an old prayer that is very useful and wise, and which has stuck with me, even though I’m not religious. I need to remember its essence more often:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

–Reinhold Niebuhr

Here’s what it looks like as I’ve adapted it to my own life:

Remember to have:

– Serenity when I must accept the things I cannot change;

– Courage to stand up for myself and change the things I can change;

– Wisdom to understand, think, and know the difference.

Remember that, to be at peace, I must:

– Live one day at a time;

– Enjoy this moment I am in;

– Accept that hardships are another learning experience and learn from them;

– Understand that I can only control myself, not the world;

– Trust that I have these experiences because I am supposed to;

– Know that even if this is Fate, I can still choose to be happy;

– Realize that “right” is all relative;

– Be true to myself in all things;

– Be me, always.

-Jane

I am going to write out all the things I could complain about and counteract them with something I am grateful to have.

1. The aches and pains in my body from various minor injuries and early onset arthritis in some of my joints is bothering me a bit. I am thankful that I have all of my limbs and all of my internal organs and am able to exercise, even if it causes slight pain. I am thankful that I can take vitamins and various remedies to relieve my pain, and take steps to prevent further pain.
2. Yesterday, someone implied that I am “lazy” because of a perceived failure in performing some minor task within his/her self-imposed time limit. I am thankful for having the wisdom to recognize that I am not lazy in any way, shape or form. I am thankful to recognize that sometimes other people say things that are outlandish, just because they feel like they should, even when it is poor taste. I am thankful to have willpower and motivation and the sense not to judge other people by the standards I set for myself. I am thankful that I am no longer the me who would have been deeply hurt by such a comment, and thankful that I can look at such commentary as a tiny blip in the events of my life.
3. My car is old and shabby and falling apart, needs several repairs which I don’t know how to perform on my own (and can’t afford to have done by a mechanic), and is probably on its last few years of life. I am thankful to have had such a reliable and comfortable vehicle for nearly twelve years. I am thankful that I can afford to buy gas for this vehicle. I am thankful that my car is a dark purplish blue color, because Blurple (;D) is my favorite color. I am thankful that I don’t have a car payment. I am thankful that I understand that I don’t need a fancy car to live my life. I am thankful that my life doesn’t revolve around inanimate objects or materialism.
4. I have several difficult decisions weighing heavily on my mind. I am thankful that I have an active mind. I am thankful that I am able to weigh my options using logic and foresight and research and information learned from past experiences to make my decisions. I am thankful that I can think, and thankful that I now feel I am worthy to make decisions for myself and my own future.
5. I feel guilty and ashamed that I feel overwhelming love and joy in my heart. I am thankful that I can feel. I am thankful that I can understand the root of my love and joy. I am thankful that I understand now that my love and joy are my own, and should not be subject to other people’s opinions on how I should and shouldn’t feel. I am thankful that I have experienced love and joy in my lifetime, no matter how rare these occasions were in my past. I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful to be able to share my thoughts. I am thankful to be loved and to be able to love others in return.