The Choice to Be Grateful

I love the December 2011 First Presidency Message on choosing gratitude.  It is so fitting for this time of year when people are all consumed with lists of things they want, often forgetting all the great blessings they already have (I know I'm often guilty of this).  President Henry B. Eyring begins the message by saying, "Our Father in Heaven commands us to be thankful in all things (see 1 Thessalonians 5:18), and He requires that we give thanks for the blessings we receive (see D&C 46:32). We know that all of His commandments are intended to make us happy, and we also know that to break commandments leads to misery...So to be happy and to avoid misery, we must have a grateful heart."

Well, that's easy then, right?  Just have a grateful heart, you'll be happy, avoid misery.  Life will be great!  Oh, well sometimes my brain thinks it should be that easy and then reality hits.  President Eyring continues, "We must ask in prayer that God, by the power of the Holy Ghost, will help us see our blessings clearly even in the midst of our trials. He can help us by the power of the Spirit to recognize and be grateful for blessings we take for granted." 

So all I have to do is ask Heavenly Father to help me recognize my blessings and I will have a grateful heart?!  Woohoo!  Again, not always that easy...but, I have found that developing gratitude is one of the easier character traits to develop, at least for me.  So, when I'm feeling grumpy, entitled, ungrateful, bitter, jealous, etc. etc. etc. here's what I do.  I grab a sheet of paper (any kind will do) and then I write down a whole bunch of blessings.  Anything I can think of.  Before I know it, I have usually filled a whole page or two and my mind and heart are instantly overflowing with gratitude for everything I have.

So when I saw the Gratitude Challenge for the Youth at the bottom of the First Presidency Message, I was super excited to participate.  I plan to do one of the 10 categories each day leading up to Christmas, then by Christmas day I will have a list of 100 things I am grateful for as my gift to Christ this year.  Feel free to join me!