Thankfulness is a Skill (And you Can Learn It)

Every weekday morning, I look at a printed checklist that outlines my my morning routine. It has two columns, with five bullet points in each column. It looks like this:

• Water

• Shower

• Dressed

• Outside 

• Coffee

• Read

• Write

• Breakfast

• Day Planning 

• Prayer of Gratitude 

About 70% of the time, I’m able to do everything on the list, which is a foolproof way to make sure I’m hydrated, clean and dressed, I’ve gone outside, I’ve filled my mind and emptied it, I’ve eaten, and I’ve given thanks. Without it, I often slip into a dehydrated caffeine craze that kills my energy for the rest of the day. 

After a few months of following this routine, something terrible happened: a handyman was paid by my neighbor to remove all the concrete in their backyard. Right outside my window. Linked here is a video called 10 Hour Relaxing Jackhammer Sounds to help you imagine my experience. 

My jackhammer friend was working on a Friday, and my first thought was “I’m so glad this guy wasn’t working for the whole week.” I was amazed by my own response to be thankful for something amidst an unpleasant, noisy experience. I can only attribute this to the prayer of gratitude in my morning routine. Left to my own devices, I would have been shouting, “Why me, God?” But it seems gratitude and thankfulness are skills, and we can train ourselves to learn them. 

Happy Thanksgiving.