Gratitude Improves Relationships
By Carol McClain
According to Psychology Today, (http://bit.ly/2sRBIR0), gratitude improves relationships.
Can you imagine why?
While sitting in the teacher’s room, a colleague and I had an agreeable conversation between grading papers. In came “Bud.” He never had a positive thing to say. “Bellyache, bellyache…”
My friend had the good fortune to need hearing aids. She turned them off. I had to find a spot in the library with busy kids to get away from Bud.
It seems with his plethora of ex-wives, they felt the same.
Do you have Buds in your life?
Could you be him?
You can’t change the boors, but you can change yourself. Start a gratitude journal. Or in morning devotions, remunerate things you are thankful for. Gratitude isn’t based on big things. Little things can make our day.
Five things I’m grateful for:
- A friend who will walk me through a convoluted set of instructions in an afghan I’m knitting.
- The end of Christmas shopping.
- Warmer December weather in Tennessee. 30-70 is perfect for me. Our days are running in the 60s.
- The greetings from neighbors as they spy me walking. They always stop their cars, roll down the windows, smile and chat. A simple smile makes my day.
- Brownie edges warm from the oven–chewy and chocolatey.
If we find the good in things, people will gravitate toward us. Isn’t it more fun to be with someone filled with thanksgiving and thus filled with joy than Ms. Grumpy-Trousers?
Author Carol McClain
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