Attitude of Gratitude...

Too often I find myself focusing on the life I want and not enough time appreciating the life I have. I imagine the same could be said for most people. We tend to dream about our future and picture our lives free from the stresses of today. We imagine the things we will someday own and the exotic places we will one day visit. If we have yet to have children, we imagine our lives raising little ones. If we do have young children, we imagine those young children becoming self-sufficient adults. When we have adult children, we long to be grandparents, and so on. While all of these dreams for the future are essentially the driving force behind each accomplishment we make, it is equally if not more important that we find time to appreciate the present. For if we fail to find contentment and gratitude in all that we have accomplished up until this very point, we will fail to see the miracles that lie before us. 
 
Gratitude today is key to being grateful tomorrow. Success is achieved in steps and if we fail to appreciate each step taken, we miss the point of the journey and the accomplishments are no longer gratifying. 
 
What I have found to be most helpful is to find moments where I am present. At night when I lie in bed, I often thank God for the things I can physically feel. This makes me conscious of little things that in the bigger picture are things to be extremely grateful for. I thank God for the warm socks on my feet, the pillow under my head, the blankets I cover myself with, the ceiling I look up at, the sweet toddler usually right there next to me, the food in my refrigerator, the job I don't want to go to but am blessed to have.... you get the picture! The list could go on forever! 
 
When I go through my list of what I am grateful for and include those simple things I often take for granted, I find that I am already successful. I have more than I could ever deserve. And that gratitude not only allows positive energy to flow through my mind, body, and environment around me. It also creates momentum in me towards fulfilling other dreams.
 
Attitude is a big part of determining whether or not someone becomes successful, and gratitude reminds them that they already are.