This world is constantly changing. With all the news reports of the good and bad happening worldwide, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Experiencing this as we enter the holiday season can make it hard to get in the holiday spirit. We might wonder what is there to be thankful for today? How are we supposed to develop a thankful mindset when we are faced with the ugly truths of the world?
Developing a thankful mindset is an intentional choice that will take time to reinforce. It starts with realizing that worrying about the future and bad things in the world is out of your control. As much as we may want to have all the answers, sometimes that is not the case. Bad things happen, work gets stressful, life gets tricky, but you’re still here. Despite all the trouble you’ve faced, you’re here, and that’s what matters.
Take a Moment
One way to implement a thankful mindset is to remember to live in the moment. You may find yourself thinking, “I’ll be happy when I find a significant other,” or “All this stress will be gone, and I’ll be able to relax after the holiday rush.” Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s usually never the case!
The only thing that is promised to us is this moment we are living in right now. Waiting for something in the future to make yourself happy is a great way to waste your life. In reality, there is no guarantee that you’ll ever reach that moment of happiness you set for yourself. As unfortunate as it may be, you may never find a life partner; you may never get that raise. Does that mean that you should give up and go through the motions for the rest of your life? Of course not!
Be the Change
The only person you are guaranteed to spend the rest of your life with is yourself. Put in the work to grow yourself and push yourself to live your life doing things you would like to do. If you are waiting to see a change in the world, be that change! You may not have the resources to change the world in one day, but you may have the ability to help at a soup kitchen on the weekends.
Bigger Brains CEO, Chip Reaves, said it best; “It’s important to remember that we work to earn a living, we work to help our clients, and we work to serve our partners. But we also work so that we can, as a company or as individuals, do things that improve the world around us. There are lots of needs among lots of people all over this planet, and it feels like a drop in the bucket compared to everything else, but I’m glad we are in a position to be able to help where we can.”
