How to Live in the Land of Enough – Gratitude
Life moves so quickly, that sometimes we forget to say thank you or even forget to be thankful at all. If you’ve forgotten how important gratitude is, it might be time to slow down, way down.
Gratitude makes everything smell sweeter, taste better and feel softer. Being thankful for something is like enjoying that something all over again.
This is the sixth post in a series from my guest post Living in the Land of Enough on one of my favorite blogs: becomingminimalist.com by Joshua Becker.
Say Thank You.
In the Land of Enough, you will find enough time and space to be grateful. Through prayer, thank you cards, or a kind gesture, share your gratitude every day.
That was the recommendation for a short hiatus in the Land of Enough. For a longer stay, like a lifetime, you will need to think about what it means to be truly grateful.
Ask questions like:
- Am I taking something or someone for granted?
- How do I show my gratitude?
- When is it too late to say thanks?
- Could my gratitude replace resentment or another emotion?
- How do I feel when I express my thanks in a genuine way?
While it may not be as powerful as an immediate response, I firmly believe that it is never too late to say thank you, I’m sorry or I love you.
10 Ways to Say Thank You
- Write a Letter. Check out Tammy’s advice on bringing back The Lost Art of Letter Writing. “It’s one way to show gratitude and love in a very busy world.”
- Pick up the phone. Email is easier sometimes, but it doesn’t offer the heartfelt tone of your voice. Call and say Thank You. It will brighten some one’s day, and yours.
- Thank Publicly. Thank people in front of other people to share the great work they’ve done. A public thank you can go a long way in the right circumstance.
- Thank with a referral. Sometimes the best way to show your gratitude is with a referral. This could be for business or personal reasons.
- Send an email. It’s quick and easy, and if worded the right way, can go a long way.
- Pray. My prayer and relationship with God became so much stronger when I stopped asking for something and started giving thanks for everything about my life. Joshua Becker responded to one of my comments on his prayer post, “Generosity is absolutely fundamental to simplicity and a natural byproduct of prayer.”
- Journal. Write down a few things that you are grateful for everyday. I journaled five things, every day, for an entire year and not surprisingly, even on the crappiest days, I could easily find five things to write about. While most pages were only five simple lines with a few words each, that journal was a perfect description of the year. I am considering that again for 2011.
- Pay it back. Every winter, my neighbors surprise us and clear our driveway after a snowstorm. In return, I bake them a pie or cupcakes. The tasks aren’t equal in effort, but appreciated just the same. This thank you did not require words.
- Leave a little note. Thank you cards are nice, but not necessary to leave a little note. A piece of paper, the back of an envelope or even a simple post it note will do.
- Use a simple message. Sometimes we don’t send a thank you card, because we don’t know what to write. We over think the words and miss the sentiment entirely. Keep it simple. Dear X, Thank you for thinking of me and being amazing. Love, me.
I couldn’t end this post with anything less than a very heartfelt and sincere thank you to you.
- Thank you for reading this.
- Thank you for being a friend, even though we might not have met yet.
- Thank you for telling me how I can do better.
- Thank you for connecting with me.
- Thank you for connecting with each other.
- Thank you for taking some of my advice.
- Thank you for giving me advice.
- Thank you for making this such a blast.
- Thank you for taking care.
- Thank you for telling a friend about this blog.
- Thank you for being so loving.
- Thank you for taking the time to uncover what is important to you.
- Thank you for changing the world.
Series Links
How to Live in the Land of Enough: Money
How to Live in the Land of Enough: Time
How to Live in the Land of Enough: Disconnect
How to Live in the Land of Enough: Space
How to Live in the Land of Enough: Entertainment
What are you grateful for and how do you like to say Thank You?
New to Be More With Less? Read more about what to expect, and this post with links to important posts and reader favorites.
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40 Responses to “How to Live in the Land of Enough – Gratitude”
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Thank you for writing great posts.
Dear Mark, Thank you for reading them.
Thank you, Courtney, for taking the time to share your thoughts. You assist me in stopping to think about things in new ways. Project 333 has forced me to look at my wardrobe with a critical eye, and has simplified my life. Thank you!
Anne – So glad you are participating in Project 333. I am having so much fun dressing with less.
Thank you for inspiring me so much!
Beverly, you inspire me! I am so glad we found each other this year and look forward to lots of fashionable fun in 2011.
Thanks Courtney for supporting others and being positive. I appreciate your efforts.
David Damron
LifeExcursion
David, I’m so glad we are getting to know each other. It has been so cool to watch you reinvent your blogging approach. You are really making a difference in the world.
I just am so thankful to have found your writings! I find it so inspiring to find a community like this and what you have to say is so similar to all my thoughts and ideas.
Love it! Love it! Love it!
peace & love
Andrea
Peace and Love to you too Andrea! Thanks for your kind words.
I SO appreciate this post! I am thankful for my mother, who instilled in me at a young age the art of writing a thank-you note. Now, I thank you (and Mr. Becker) for passing along the reminder that being thankful is helpful–not only to the one who recieves the thanks but also to the one who gives thanks.
Many blessings in 2011!
Blessings to you too Jackie. Sounds like your mom is a smart woman!
I love that you’ve posted this. Gratitude is one of the most beautiful positions of the heart. And my favorite thing about it is that it often takes the attention from self and puts it on another. As I understand it, I am incapable of gratitude apart from God and my utter reliance on God requires God’s ongoing position of graciousness. From this hopefully gratitude may spring forth.
Kristy – What a moving, powerful way to think about gratitude.
Along time ago someone told me, “The attiude of gratitude brings altitude.” Thanks for reminding me how to soar.
Love that Carol. I learn so much here.
What a nice post to end the year with! I’ve only recently discovered your site and missed the beginning of your project but have done this sort of thing in-house (meaning, in our house) in previous years. Good luck. I like your style!
Sara, If you are talking about theproject333.com it’s never too late to join!
I’m so thankful to have found your blog (and BTW, there was an article printed in the Fresno Bee the other day, originating from Miami I think, and I got so excited I nearly shouted to my husband, “It’s about Courtney! I KNOW her!!” Anyway, having made the decision to simplify my life, I am grateful for your many words of wisdom.
Thank you.
Happy New Year.
Cindy
Cindy, I love that! So glad you feel like you know me.
Courtney,
Thank you for all the great positive posts. Looking forward to reading more next year! Happy new year!
Thanks again,
Bernie
Happy New Year Bernie!
Thank you for taking the time to write up thoughtful and thought-provoking posts for us to enjoy and learn from. Happy New Year.
You are so welcome. Happy New Year!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful work with the world! Happy New Year!
Happy New Year Wendy! Thanks for your kind comment.
Thank you for writing this blog, you were the first person who really caught my attention with their writing, and have inspired me to change my life through minimalism. And I love this post, I make sure that I let the people I love know they are appreciated. My boyfriend and my mom especially =)
Thank you Pandora. Glad something I wrote spoke to you.
Thank you for your blog. Thank you for your ideas.
I could say thank you for the inspiration, the wisdom, the new perceptions, the gathering of minds… but I’m sure I’ll forget to include everything I really meant to say… So, thank you.
Thank you Courtney for being a role model for me as I am building my blog! I also thank you for your 333 challenge. I am not ready to participate in the fullest, but you have truly given me much to think about. I have reduced my wardrobe one and I am ready to do so again!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2011/what-is-valuable-to-you-j2b-week-1/
Bernice, Thanks for your kind words. Glad I can help!
11) Leave a comment:
Thank you!
It’s so sad that people either don’t say ‘thank you’ enough, or they don’t know how to truly mean it.
So I’ll lead by example and say ‘thank you’ to you, Courtney, for having an awesome website, a brilliant set of ideals, and for just being a generally inspirational person
Gratitude is a great way to end one year and begin another. I like your list of ways to say thank you – there really are so many wonderful ways of experiencing gratitude and expressing it.
Thank you for giving me the focus of gratitiude today
Courtney,
I love how you say: “Being thankful for something is like enjoying that something all over again.” Kind of the way reminiscing feels! Great post!
Lori
I came here on Colleen’s recommendation at http://www.365lessthings.com/ and I’m so glad I did! Subscribing right now!
Thanks Erin (and Colleen)!