Happy vs. Grateful

This was from our Staff Devotion today at work. I really liked the perspective it took on the difference between being happy and being grateful. I hope to choose to become more grateful...

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Have you ever known a happy person who wasn't grateful, or a grateful person who wasn't happy?

Perhaps a way to look at this is that happiness is a result of gratitude.

The wonderful thing about this is that, while we cannot always just choose to be happy, we can always choose to be grateful.

There is always something to be grateful about.

You can be grateful that you are alive and have opportunities to learn and grow and share love.

You can be grateful for the sun, the rain, the snow, the beauty of nature, the green of grass, the glory of trees, the color of flowers, the presence of animals, the food you eat.

If you have health, you can be grateful for that.

If you have friends, you can be grateful for them.

If you have a mate, children, a home, a car, a job, you can be grateful for them.

You can choose to be grateful for all the big and little things in life, each and every moment.

The more you choose to notice what is good and beautiful, the happier and more peaceful you will feel.

On the other hand, there are always things to complain about if that is your choice.

Instead of noticing the beauty of the flowers, you can complain about having to water them.

Instead of being grateful for the opportunity to be alive, you can complain about how hard it is.

Instead of being grateful for the sun, the rain, or the snow, you can complain about how hot it is, how wet it is, how gloomy it is, or how cold it is.

Instead of being grateful for you food you eat, you can complain about how hard it is to cook it, or how expensive it is to buy it.

Instead of being grateful for your health, you can complain about your weight.

Instead of being grateful for your partner or your children, you can certainly find endless complains about them.

The more you complain, the more unhappy you will feel.

It is not the person or the situation or the event or the past or anything else that is causing your unhappiness - it is your choice to complain about it instead of discovering what is wonderful about it and being grateful for it.

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(The picture is of my awesome friend, Julie's, super cute kids! You can check out her blog by clicking here!)