There’s bad news all around at the moment:  protests in several countries around the world, and global warming scares in places like Venice, New Orleans, and the south pacific.  Locally – and personally, there has been bad news, too:  a friend and the next week a close neighbor both found out they have heart problems, a client has a tumor, a couple of friends have cheating spouses, a friend’s branded product was stolen, someone is being being gossiped about (by an employee), another friend being bullied by a boss, and finally, another friend (who works in the helping service “industry”) says, “It’s November so you can expect the worst.” November brings bad news, and bad attitudes.

But this month is the USA’s biggest weekend celebration: Thanksgiving.  ‘Tis the season to be thankful, to be grateful.  But did you realize it would be good for your health and well-being to really take time and count your blessings?

Even though your (and my) life is sometimes hard, it is important to make that shift from the pity party to thankful thinking.  Sometimes this is difficult, so I have purposefully thought of things that I am grateful for right now:

·      It’s (almost) sunny and there is not a drop of rain falling (and it’s not freezing at the moment).

·      Even though it’s cold, I am warm, dry, fed and inside a heated and well-insulated building.

·      I have employment that pays the bills and I have enough clients, too. (And I love my jobs!).

·      I am healthy and have been pretty healthy for quite a while, now.

·      I have friends and family who love and care for me- and I can depend on. 

·      I have sweet pets who show me love and attention, too.

Count your blessings and be grateful, it helps to change our thinking from negative to positive.

After this little exercise, I feel better, even with all the bad news in the world.  I have taken my negative thought process and moved it to a positive one.  So, I am able now to look at the bad news from a place of gratefulness and calm and even help others move from that place.  It’s a double blessing:  I am blessed and can help others, so I can be a blessing, too (rather than a whiner bringing others down even more).

So, when something negative happens (or you read about something in the news): 

STOP

1)    THINK – What’s happening inside and outside of me?  What’s important about it?

2)    FEEL – What emotions am I feeling?  Is it anger, fear, sadness?

3)    REFLECT – What am I believing about the issue?  Is it (really) true, or is it a lie I am telling myself, or even just something unproven?

What can I do to change the issue – or change myself?

Is the reaction appropriate for the situation (sometimes the emotion is weaker, stronger, or maybe just not the REAL one…)

What can my next step or two be, right now?

When can (or do I want to) make that next step or two?

Finally, CONSIDER, what can I be grateful for right here and now?  How can I show myself that I am grateful?  How will others know that I am grateful, even in the midst of bad news? 

The next day/ week/ month you can look back on the process and evaluate:  What went well, what might need improving and how can I do it?

IF nothing else remember, STOP, THINK, FEEL, REFLECT – and BE GRATEFUL while you count your blessings.

Have a great time being thankful for the big and small blessings. 

Patricia Jehle patricia@jehle-coaching.com