Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 173 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

4 Steps to Unleash Gratitude in Your Life

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 173 of our Trek, and yesterday we hiked on the trails of gratitude and thanksgiving through a series of inspirational stories for our trek of life. Today and for the next week, we will continue this hike on the trails of gratitude and thanksgiving. If you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. As we continue our focus on the season of Thanksgiving, regardless of how difficult life may or may not have been during this past year, each of us has much to be thankful for. The best way to maintain an attitude of gratitude is to make a gratitude list and review it daily to focus on those blessings that we have each day. It’s the best way to start each day.

On today’s trek, we want to head down memory lane and learn how to…

Unleash Gratitude in Your Life!

I have many wonderful memories of Thanksgiving on the Farm. Mom always prepared a huge turkey with all the trimmings and side dishes. I have continued that tradition with hosting family Thanksgivings at The Big House for many years.  During my trek of life, I had a mom who loved us and taught all 10 of us to cook.  I especially enjoyed the times in the kitchen that we spent together as she taught me the love of cooking. One of my favorite memories is mom and I making fruit cakes.  It was one baking event that just mom and I did together.

 

It’s been over 16 years since mom lost her battle with cancer, but I am so thankful for the 68 years of life that she was granted. She lived life to the fullest. While it would be wonderful if she were still with us to impact our lives and the lives of her grandchildren and now great-grandchildren, in a very real way she is through the impact that we can make each day. All who knew and loved her are reminded and thankful for all the great moments they shared. The laughter, the lessons, and the wisdom that she shared with me is invaluable. What I have learned is that she is not in my past but in my future. I celebrate her life and blessing of mentorship that she shared.

During this next week in the United States, everybody is getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I enjoy spending time with my family, sitting around the table and enjoying good food and the incredible opportunity to express gratitude for all the many blessings in my life. Thanksgiving is not something that should be restricted to a day, though. Thanksgiving is a lifestyle that anybody can cultivate. Gratitude is one of my favorite things in the whole world. Here are a few lessons on how you can unleash gratitude in your life.

1. Gratitude is one of the most important habits you can ever develop.

As a business person, church leader, gramps, dad, and husband, I have been privileged to influence and encourage many throughout the world to have a greater impact on their world. Many people wonder and desire to learn how to be happy and successful. However, many don’t immediately realize that the first lesson they must learn is in gratitude. This may be puzzling at first, but I know that no other force but gratitude will empower you for true joy and success in life.

For many years, I have made a conscious decision to keep a list of what I am grateful for. I then review that list first thing every morning and thank God for each blessing on the list.  There are seasons and circumstances that change, so I edit and update the list as it is ever evolving with the seasons. This exercise in gratitude has changed my life. Not only do I find myself being more appreciative, but I also find myself with greater joy and success in every area of my life. Gratitude is a practice that will forever transform your life.

 

2. Gratitude will destroy the root of pride in your life.

The great thing about gratitude is that it humbles the heart. So many times we are being controlled and directed by our ambitions. We live in a very self-seeking and self-absorbed culture. I have been guilty of this as well. However, as I practiced gratitude, I lost the, me, myself and I mentality. I embraced a selfless mentality and became more focused on serving others. Gratitude forces us to mature. Gratitude is learning how to appreciate everything that arises in your life. You lose the “I” mindset and you develop a “we” mindset. No other force but gratitude can soften and open the human heart to unconditional love. Gratitude checks the ego and destroys pride in our lives.

3. Gratitude makes every moment in your life special.

During the holiday season, I reflect on Mom and how she always made the holidays extra special more and more. I do miss her and especially the impact that she had on so many. I am grateful for the impact that she continues to have through subsequent generations of family. I am grateful for the times that I was able to share with my mom. I am grateful for the memories, the lessons, the laughter, and the tears that we shared. Gratitude is powerful because it empowers us. Gratitude is what causes the events that happen in our lives to produce a revolution. Gratitude has become such a part of my life that I have learned to be thankful for even the simple things. Some days or seasons are sunny and warm while others are cloudy and cold. However, I have learned to be thankful for both, and they are both important and serve a purpose, and so it is with our trek of life. When you can be thankful for every moment in your life, you can make the most of your life. We shift from being ungrateful, uncaring, and unfulfilled to grateful, giving, and grounded human beings. Gratitude does a work in the heart.

4. Gratitude enriches your life.

You have heard me say this before. We are all on a trek in our lives. We are on the trek to become the best versions of ourselves. No other force will empower you to become your best self but gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more you discover what it means to live an authentic life. As human beings, we all have a core desire for contentment. Our culture encourages covetousness; however, when you live a heart-centered life, your goal is contentment. When you become proficient in the practice of gratitude, you will contend for contentment in your life. Contentment is reaching the place in life where nothing has the power to move you. Contentment is refusing to allow anything to distract you and change the direction of your life. Contentment produces joy and causes you to live in the center of your calling. Contentment is finding perfect peace and certainty in every season of your life.

As the Apostle Paul taught his protégé Timothy in his first letter in Chapter 6 verses 6 through 8…

“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.”

Gratitude is a habit that everyone can learn. Gratitude will destroy the root of pride in your life and allow every moment to be special as it enriches your life. As you learn each day, you are responsible for sharing with others. So, encourage your friends and family to join us each day and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy as we continue our Trek and focus on how wise it is to be thankful in a series of short, inspiring stories.

That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.

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Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!