Seven Days of Thanksgiving: “The Greatest Thanks is to give thanks for everything”

“The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything. He who has learned this knows what it means to live. He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything.” – Albert Schweitzer.

Great wisdom, but as it turns out “penetrating the mystery of life” is easier said than done, especially when our brains instinctively focus on where the danger is and what’s wrong. Unfortunately for most of us, overriding this natural tendency requires a regular disciplined practice. We have become so accustomed to quick fixes and immediate results that  the idea of a sustained regular practice at anything may seem foreign to us. Discipline seems so old fashioned.

Just like an exercise regimen however, true rewards manifest only with regular sustained practice. The experts on personal change tell us it takes at least 90 days to even begin to form a new habit. This is just as true whether we are trying to get fit physically or trying to create a grace filled life. Previous blogs in this series highlight the many benefits of giving thanks and developing an “attitude of gratitude”. It promotes overall mental health,  happiness, sleep, and better relationships  to name a few.

Join me this Thanksgiving for the next 90 days in developing a regular practice of “giving thanks for everything” …and let me know how its going.

Every day for the seven days leading up to Thanksgiving, we will post a new blog for the series, Seven Days of Thanksgiving. You can also follow The Imago Center of DC on Facebook and Twitter to get our latest articles directly in your newsfeed.