Thankfulness and Gratitude

"Thou shall thank the Lord thy God in all things." ( Doctrine and Covenants 59:7) At times I feel like I am not filled with the gratitude that I should have. I have been very blessed with a healthy family, good friends, a wonderful country to live in and a restored gospel of Jesus Christ. But there are little morsels of blessings that I see on a daily basis that I don't thank my Creator for. Thankfulness and gratitude can go hand in hand. One is an outward expression of how someone feels for someone and something. The other is an inward feeling in your heart of appreciation.  Both of these attributes I chose and wanted to enhance. 

            It seems like I reflect more inwardly and am filled with gratitude without letting others know how I have felt towards them. I have struggled opening my mouth and speaking encouraging words to others in thanksgiving . Everyone wants to know that they are growing and progressing and that they are doing something positive. Being appreciated and being told without prompt can lift others up in ways that can be incomprehensible to others. I have been consciously trying to give thanks to my family but it is hard and takes effort to remember to thank them for little things.

            One of the experiences I had last week was nothing that I did but a reflection of gratitude towards my sons school teacher. I went in to a meeting with the school psychologist, principal, and teacher to discuss the progress of my son and what they are going to do with him, whether to put him in a special needs class or to keep him in his original 4th grade class. He has been going to tutoring with other teachers and he has been making amazing leaps on his reading that he is behind in. His teacher told me about times when my son is in class and that the whole class cheers for him when he can read and gets words correct. As he was telling me all of these amazing stories, tears came to both of our eyes. I told his teacher how appreciative I was for putting all the time and effort in to my son and that I have seen such a change in him in such a short period of time.  I could tell that he appreciated being appreciated. 

            I have noticed these last few weeks that my children have picked up a few good habits. Just by small encouraging praises, they have been more willing to help out and do things with less whining. Even my two year old has been saying "Thank You" more for things that people do for her.  Some things that I have tried to do to gain more gratitude is to notice little things around me, Keep a gratitude journal, switch negative attitudes to a positive one, stay humble, compliment more, don't complain or gossip, be more happy on the phone, smile more, look at things positively, and become more genuine.  Gratitude is an Inward Attitude that will reflect more thankfulness. As I have looked for the good in things, my attitude has changed for the better.