Be Grateful Everyday

There are a lot of things that each of us should be thankful for. Yet, most of the things that often consume us for most of our waking hours, and sometimes even through our slumber, are those that cause us much worry and distress. I am guilty of this, I admit. It is just too difficult to shrug off things that negatively impact things that we consider important in our lives – and this could span a whole range of concerns. We think about everything from big things like ensuring family security to little things like the weather or the traffic. And sometimes, we even fuss about things that should not be fussed about. As easy as it is to be negative, we have to exert some effort to see the other side of the coin so to speak and think positive. Positive thinking is not being complacent. It does not mean merely accepting what is dealt to you without so much as a slight resistance – no you do not sit back and languorously enjoy a cup of tea at your front porch while your collection bills are stuffing your mailbox full. Positive thinking has a lot to do with not letting the negatives bear down on you and hamper you from doing things as you should. Thinking positively allows you to get on with your life and do something to turn that negative into positive.

A little gratefulness goes a long way in keeping such a positive state of mind. When things seem hopeless, feel grateful for the life that you still have and everything else you have left to still get you going. You might be nearing bankruptcy but at least you are still alive and physically capable of doing something about your condition. Get off your hindside and find out what you can do to alleviate your situation. You might find that things will be harder and more challenging. But, if you keep on moving, there is no way that you cannot get out of your predicament. Sooner rather than later, you will find that you have hurdled the challenge and are able to enjoy some liberties again. Ridding your mind of the negatives and replacing them with gratefulness allows you to have more room in there to think about moving forward and overcoming each and every challenge that comes your way.

When you feel like you are so tired about battling life’s trials, take a deep breath and practice gratefulness. Acknowledge your trials and then think about all the other things you have to be grateful for in your life. For the depressed and desolate, it would really be hard to stir feelings of thankfulness. It would perhaps take some intervention for this to happen. For most people, however, there really is nothing difficult about giving way to gratefulness. When you are truly grateful, it is not difficult to mobilize yourself and continue living in spite of. “Life is like a box of chocolates” as Forrest Gump said. “You’ll never know what you are going to get.” Yet, it is always an overwhelmingly heartwarming feeling that overcomes anyone who receives a beautifully packaged box of chocolates. The act of consuming each one, whatever it might be, is often equally pleasurable. Be grateful for life and everything it brings, ready for all the pleasures, both expected and unexpected, along the way.

Coming Out Into The Open

I suddenly feel so naked. Writing online has always made me feel exposed. That is why I have kept my writing private for quite some time. There is, however, a certain feeling of liberation to being able to write about what is on my mind whenever and wherever I want, without fear of judgement or condemnation. I am coming out in the open to speak my mind... to sort out my thoughts... to bare my soul. With my heart thumping yet with my fingers firm in their resolve to immortalize my words, I write my very first public blog.

Passion for life. That's what this site is all about. It's all about how we live our lives and all that comes with it. That's virtually everything and anything under the sky. In this site, I will endeavor to share with you information and personal insights about things we consider important in this world. Important. Important is a relative thing. What might be important to me might not really be important to you.

Life is a myriad of important things. The air that we breathe, the food we eat, the things we buy, the people we love, the things we do, the dreams we have. These are all important things in our lives. These are things that we all consider important (albeit in different levels) in our lives. There is only one way with which to look at these things. There is only one way to live our lives -- with passion. It is only by living life with passion can we truly say that we have lived a full life.

In an ideal world, you would say, it is indeed possible live life with passion at all times. Just how does one continue to look at life with the same zest when everything seems to be taking a plunge? The answer is still passion. Our passion for life will have the essential ingredients of faith, hope, resilience, and determination. Passion is what will get us through whatever challenges we may face... it is what will lift us up high through our successes.

Living life with passion means looking to a future that is always better than today. Although it may not always be, just thinking about tomorrow bringing brighter days is enough to keep us going. As we go through each day, believing in a better future and determined in pursuing our dreams, passion burns inside each one of us leaving no room for thoughts other than the positive. Faith and hope keeps this passion burning no matter what.

I have had my share of rough roads. Perhaps the roughest of roads for me would be times of emotional distraught. I would admit that passion is quite a hard concept to grasp during these times in my life when everything seems drab and hopeless. But there is no such thing as hopeless, I have learned. Every day we are dealt is for a reason. Every bad thing that happens to us has a corresponding positive thing to happen at some point in the future -- quid pro quo so to speak. As I traverse these rough roads, I wince and cringe but I remain steadfast and determined to see some smooth sailing ahead of me. No slowing down to wallow in pain... just moving on with passion.

As I go through the ups and downs of life, I invite you to share this passion with me and keep it burning. I invite you to join me in my journey through life, nudging each other from time to time to swap ideas or to giggle about whatever trivialities life might throw our way. Let's live life with passion!