Our Walk Together

Thankfulness

Episode Summary

Have you ever taken the time to think about all the things you should be thankful for? In today's episode, we're going to talk about thankfulness, and we're going to talk about gratefulness.

Episode Notes

In this episode we talk a little bit about being grateful and being thankful and what are their significance and how to add thankfulness to our every single day.

Expressing gratitude is one way to bond with a higher power also. It's an acknowledgement that the blessings received, the blessings that we receive, are from a divine source and not something that we deserve. When we're thankful, we recognize that there is something beyond. 

Expressing gratefulness is more than just being courteous. It's a way of thinking and feeling that recognizes the blessings in our lives, the people who've made them available. We are appreciative and we view the world differently. We concentrate on the positive elements of our existence rather than fixating on the negative. We value individuals surrounding us.d our control and that's something that works in our lives.

Episode Transcription

Thanksgiving Transcript

Have you ever taken the time to think about all the things you should be thankful for? In this episode. We're going to talk about thankfulness, and we're going to talk about gratefulness, so let's start our walk. Hi there and welcome to. Our walk together. I'm glad you found some time to be with me today. Have you ever recognized the impact expressing Gratitude has in your life? Well. I've come to recognize that impact and come to recognize the impact of expressing. It's not just a a courtly behavior or a habit to pick up, but a transformative strength that can alter our outlook on the world and our role in it. In this episode. I hope to go through and talk a little bit about being grateful and being thankful and. What's the significance of that and how does that all work and contrast that between being grateful and that? The need of our appreciation and our Catholic belief and how to add thankfulness to our every single day.  Expressing gratefulness, is more than just being courteous. It's a way of thinking and feeling that recognizes the blessings in our lives. The people who've made them available and we are appreciative when we view the world differently. We concentrate on the positive elements of our existence rather than fixating on the negative. We value individuals surrounding us and the contributions they make. Regardless of how minimal they might appear. Expressing gratitude is one way to bond with a higher power. Also, it's an acknowledgement that the blessings received, the blessings that we receive are from a divine source. And that's something that we deserve when we're thankful. We recognize that there is something beyond our control and that's that something that works in our lives and that we're part of something much, much bigger than ourselves. Though they may appear to be the same. Gratitude and thankfulness are not the same. Thankfulness is a reaction to something in particular, such as a gift or an act of kindness. And this way of expressing our appreciation for what was done for us. Gratitude, on the other hand, is a broader outlook that recognizes the good elements in our lives. In the grand scheme of things. And the mindset that looks at the world in a positive way and cherishes the blessings that we have. Even when. We are not necessarily being presented with something that seems that we should be thankful for. Gratitude has the capability to reshape. Our lives in numerous ways. It can mend our relationships. And improve our health, raise our level of contentment when we are grateful, our outlook on the world shifts. We pay attention to what we possess rather than what we lack. We recognize people around us and the aid that they provide us, we become tolerant, we become kinder and more sympathetic. It's been demonstrated that gratitude has positive physical effects as well. Research has demonstrated that individuals who are grateful. Have lower levels of stress, improved immune system functioning. Moreover, they tend to engage in regular exercise and take better care of themselves.. They get out of themselves in some way, shape or form. As Catholics. We're tasked to express gratitude to God for the favors. That have been granted to us. Additionally, being thankful is a means of connecting with others and forming a strong bond within the community. And encourages us to be more giving and compassionate towards our peers, since we understand that the blessings we receive. Are not for our own benefit. But are meant to be shared with each other. The Franciscan order values gratitude. Now you know, I had to talk about that as a virtue, A sentiment that was greatly held by Francis himself. He saw everything as a blessing. From the Lord. And he urged his disciples to do the same everything as a blessing. From the Lord. The Franciscan tradition instructs us to be thankful for the small things in life and recognize the beauty that's all around us. The birds. The plants. The other animals, the weather, all the things that surround us, how often do we express thankfulness for those in order to to foster a sense of thankfulness? It's useful to evaluate the good. Things in our lives. This can involve the people who've made a difference, the people who have experiences, the experiences we've encountered in life, the items that. We've been given. Writing down the things that we're grateful for and revisiting that list periodically can help us to remember the positives. Initially dedicating some. Additional time each day. To consider the day's blessings. And express gratitude for them is beneficial. We can incorporate thankfulness into our prayer and our worship. We could begin our prayers with a statement of appreciation for the blessings bestowed upon us by God, Lord. We offer you this time, Lord. We thank you for all the things that are around us. We thank you for all the gifts you've given us. We ask that you help us to see all the things and be grateful for all the things you've given. If we start our prayer that way. Makes a big difference in how we look at things. We can also use prayers like the Magnificat is a great example. The tedium is another example. All approaches that offer thankfulness to the Lord. Even the mass itself is an act of thankfulness. And we need to. Remind ourselves of the great gift we have received in the person of Jesus. It's also a time to publicly acknowledge. That God is the source of all that we have. Expressing our thanks to those around us is an excellent way of practicing gratitude. It's essential to vocalize to the people in our lives how much we appreciate them. Often it's those who are closest to us that we have the most difficulty and very often forget to say thank you to be grateful for all that's around us. Mindful of the fact that we've been given much. And in turn, we need to share that with others. It's important that we pass that around. We need to find those opportunities when we can be grateful when we can share what we have, the culture, the cultivation of a grateful. Attitude necessitates practice. It's like anything else. We have to practice it before we can really do much. But there's a number of things we can do that. Will help make it a habit. We can be. We can begin each morning with an expression of thanks, either verbally or internally. Lord, I thank you for the beginnings of this new day. I thank you that you've given me this time. All ways of doing it, perhaps we can have a gratitude journal. That's a that's a good one too. A gratitude journal that jacked down. But we're. Thankful for each day. And lastly, by focusing on the positive aspects, positive aspects can't say that word of life when you're feeling overwhelmed. We can develop a more beat more. Upbeat outlook. It may not be easy to maintain. An attitude of thankfulness when times are tough. If doing so is particularly significant in such a situation. With tribulations and trials looming, it's natural to concentrate on the lack we have for of things that we have, the things that we've forfeited. By centering on the positive aspects of our lives. And the blessings bestowed upon us. We can discover solace. And courage to confront. The struggles that lie in front of us. If it all looks dark, it's going to continue to be dark. We need to look for that light, look for that Thanksgiving. In Catholicism, thankfulness is. A is a main element of faith. Faith that binds us to God and to one another. If we're neutral spirit of appreciation, we can bring about change in our lives and the lives of those around us. Adopting an attitude of gratitude, we can acknowledge the gifts we have and pass them on to others. We will soon celebrate Thanksgiving. A chance to remind ourselves of all the. Good things that we've been thankful for, all the good things that we've been given. Sometimes we find that those things are hidden. From our eyes. Perhaps our prayer this. Year could echo the blind man in the Gospels and pray. That I might. See. Thank you for being with me. Happy Thanksgiving.