With a website called Secret2anamazinglife, I am asked countless times, “What is the secret to an amazing life?” It is not really one secret. In fact, none of this is secret. A little effort will open up to you a world that contains magic we were previously unaware of. I know this is hard to explain waiting at a red light, in line at a coffee shop and, believe it or not, once while attending to some business in a men’s room. In the world we live in, people want a quick answer. Some ‘magic pill’ that will turn their life around. We have good news and bad news on that subject.
First the bad news. In the big pharma based world we live in, there is no life-transforming pill. At best, there will be one that chemically alters you to be in an emotional state to better approach, or care less, about your problems. Drugs, alcohol and even food can be used to mask and compensate for the pain of life. Very inspiring so far, isn’t it? I told you there was good news. There is one thing that can radically transform your life, and do so quickly. How do I know? It worked in mine. That one thing is gratitude.
I know. I know. You have heard it a million times. Being grateful is the key to success. Oprah says it. Steve Jobs said it. Tony Robbins said it. How can just being thankful for everything you have it life, including the challenges, make such a difference? Look at the first photo in this post. Gratitude can affect many areas of our life. Here is what I am going to tell you about gratitude. Don’t believe me. Here is how I discovered the power of being grateful. I was challenged to do a gratitude journal for 30 days. I accepted the challenge with the intent I would show this person that it would not work for me. By the end of one week I felt something, but I didn’t know what it was. By the end of two weeks I was feeling happier and looking forward to life more, but it could have been a run of good luck. By the end of 30 days I was so happy that I was annoying myself.
What happened when I was in this divine state? I was in a terrible car accident. I went through the windshield and woke up in the hospital. It was as if the universe was either testing my resolve or showing me how powerful this gratitude thing could be. If you want to hear the whole story, I suggest reading my book, A Happy Life for Busy People. To say that being grateful helped me through one of the most trying times in my life would be an understatement.
Don’t take my word for it, or the science that gave us the facts above. Prove it to yourself. I am going to put forth the same challenge that was given to me. Keep a gratitude journal for 30 days. All this means is writing down at least 3 things you are grateful for everyday and why. You can do this in a spiral notebook. You do not have to tell a single soul you are doing it. Be prepared to be asked what changed in you though. By the end of 30 days, if done faithfully, you will know why I consider gratitude the ‘magic pill’ of life transformation. If you want to know more about the power of gratitude exercises, read my book, Living the Dream. I look forward to hearing from all of you who take up this challenge. If you are interested in picking up a copy of any of my books, just click the link below.
SECRET 2 AN AMAZING LIFE 