Gratitude Brings Smiles

Have you ever heard someone say or have you ever been given the advise to “fake it to you make it”? Well, I have and I actually bought into this concept. Although I would throw a smile on my face and put on the best facade so that no one really knew what was really going on, this didn’t help me, the situation, those around me, and especially not my attitude.

I walked around with a chip on my shoulder and to fake life left me emotionally and physically exhausted, spiritually confused, and all over the place. There were a select few people who knew what was really going on, but for the most part people would look at me, my marriage, and my life and ask me how do I have it all together and I would honestly answer folks telling things do not always appear to be what they really are, then in return they would laugh at me and proceed to seek my advise.

Honestly, I felt like a fraud until one day I realized after much mentoring, changing my surroundings and like minded groups of business partners, and friends that when you have gratitude even about the smallest of things in life that I know longer had to fake life. The burden was lifted and as I felt more gratitude in my life the problems lessened, healing started taking place, and I actually could be more present living in the solution to issues I was facing.

Now life isn’t always roses and if you are married you will end up disagreeing and if you are a parent there are even more disagreements, etc and so on. However, if you get into the routine of beginning and ending your day with a gratitude journal you will see that most things that we ponder over and create conflict about just really isn’t worth it and you open your life up for more joy and you will definitely find more reasons to smile.

Living in gratitude not only gave me my smile back, but it also allowed me time to be who I really am and I gave myself permission to be imperfectly perfect. One of the things that I am most grateful for is that Christ died for my sins, your sins, everyone’s sins so that we can be perfected by and through him. We are NOT alone on this journey. It is so much more peaceful when you let go and ask God for help. When I surrendered my life to Christ, I knew I had a mediator, a friend, a forever love that would never forsake me and that would complete me as long as I lived for Him. It is my prayer that everyone find the same peace that I did.