Monday
Morning Momentum™ with David J. Pollay – January 26, 2009
Gratitude is a bridge to your
positive future: It is your passageway
to success.
Think about a bridge crossing
a river. It must have strong supporting
foundations on both banks. Without the
foundations securely anchored, the bridge will collapse; you cannot make the
crossing.
And so it is with your bridge
to your positive future. The stronger your
foundation of gratitude, the greater the distance your bridge can take you in
life. And the strength of your gratitude
depends on your awareness of the support you have to achieve your best possible
life.
Robert Solomon, the late philosophy professor
and scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, discussed gratitude in an essay he
contributed to The Psychology of
Gratitude by Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough. Solomon wrote, “One can take one’s life and
its advantages for granted, but how much better it is to acknowlege not only
those advantages but one’s gratitude for them.”
Gratitude also likens the emotion of trust, wrote Solomon, “…it involves an
admission of our vulnerability and our dependance on other people.” Gratitude helps us recognize the support that
we have received on our path to achieve the life we have.
Gratitude provides you with the courage to pursue your ambition in
life. Gratitude reminds you of
everything that you have; what you remember strengthens your bridge to a
positive future. And there are four key ways
to reinforce your foundation of gratitude.
A Reminder
of Your Key People
First, gratitude reminds you of all the key people in your life. Think of these individuals now. Who are the people who advise you? Who are the people who challenge you? Who are the people who set you straight when
you veer off course? And who are the
people who give you a hug when you need one?
Be grateful for these people; strengthen your bridge.
A Reminder
of Your Strengths
Second, gratitude reminds you of your strengths. Think of what comes naturally to you. What do you do well? What do you enjoy doing? What do others say you excel in? What are your gifts? Be grateful for what makes you unique;
strengthen your bridge.
A Reminder
of Your Achievements
Third, gratitude reminds you of what you have achieved. Think about what you have accomplished in
your life. What goals have you met? What successes have you enjoyed? Be grateful for your achievements; strengthen
your bridge.
A Reminder
of the Wonders Around You
Finally, gratitude reminds you of the wonders around you: the warmth of the sun, the glow of the moon
and stars, the current of a river, the ripples of a lake, the waves of an
ocean, the comfort of a breeze, the colors of flowers, the majesty of tall
trees, the utility of buildings, the speed of planes, and the power of
trains. Be grateful for the miracles of
nature and the wondrous products of man; strengthen your bridge.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian,
pastor, and Nazi resister, wrote about gratitude in this way: “In ordinary life we hardly realize that we
receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that
life becomes rich.”
When you fill your life with gratitude, you will experience the feeling of
abundance in your relationships, your strengths, your achievements, and
everything that is miraculous and powerful around you. Gratitude strengthens your bridge to your
best possible life.
Enjoy the crossing!
Invite your family
and friends to join you
And if you
want your family, colleagues, and friends to join you on your Monday Morning Momentum™ journey, send
this post along to them.
Have a
great week!
Enjoy!
Best to
you,
David
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And I thank you, Lil.
Have a wonderful week!
Best to you,
David
Posted by: Maragojipe | January 27, 2009 at 12:20 AM
David, this is a beautiful post; it has all the insights and suggestions for us to learn to have gratitude and to be grateful for the people in our lives who make us whole. I thank you. Lil
Posted by: Lil | January 26, 2009 at 10:35 PM