Thank and Grow Rich
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Thank and Grow Rich
| Thu, 12-11-2003 - 7:25am |
Thank And Grow Rich
No, that title isn't the written _expression of my old Okie*
accent kicking in. "Thank" is EXACTLY the right word! (My
apologies to the late Napoleon Hill, author of the classic,
Think and Grow Rich.)
Gratitude is like a muscle. It takes regular exercise to
strengthen it and make it strong. And if you find yourself
in a situation where it SEEMS like there's nothing much to
be grateful for, you'll find it of little avail to try to
FORCE gratitude. It's slippery that way -- kind of like
trying to force yourself to sleep when you're wide awake.
In those times, the key is simply to relax and just let
yourself be WILLING to be grateful. To just let yourself
look around with "soft eyes." I heard it said once that
there is no one who has so little that gratitude is
impossible -- and there is no one who has so much that
gratitude is inevitable.
It's a choice. In every moment.
Once your gratitude muscle is toned up from regular use and
repetition, you'll find things that were formerly difficult
become effortless -- just as walking up four or five flights
of stairs doesn't "wind" you when you're in shape.
Did you know that it's possible to establish a new habit
with 21-28 consecutive days of practice? So since the
habitual practice of gratitude WILL change for the better
the way you look at virtually everything, why not get to
work on it right now?
I promise you that THIS exercise is NOT boring, you don't
need special equipment or clothing, and you don't have to
worry about looking silly in front of strangers!
Here it is:
Every day for the next 21 days, express your gratitude and
appreciation to one or more people -- via email, phone,
notes or cards, or in person. It might be gratitude for
something we think of as small and (seemingly) insignificant
-- a kind word, a smile of encouragement. It might even be
asking to speak to the supervisor of someone who gives you
wonderful service in a shop or restaurant in order to offer
praise and appreciation.
This last one is especially powerful. Samuel Goldwyn (one of
the founders of Metro Goldwyn Mayer, the giant movie studio)
once said, "When somebody does something good, applaud.
You'll make two people happy." When you acknowledge and
thank someone in a PUBLIC way, you get to spread the good
feelings around even more widely!
You might also want to express gratitude for something that
feels really "big" -- like finally saying thanks to that
favorite teacher who made an impossible subject interesting
or someone who believed in you when it seemed like no one
else did. It might be saying thank you to God, however you
conceive of your Higher Power.
Do this CONSCIOUSLY -- and with gusto, flair, and style!
Once, to thank a friend, I bought a poster board and markers
and made a big silly sign, then took the subway all the way
to the top of Manhattan and hung it in tree in a tiny park.
I then called my friend and told her to look out the window!
That was nearly 20 years ago and it still makes us grin to
think of it. Take a few minutes to make a gratitude list --
everyone you can think of that you can thank in the next 21
days.
Keep adding to it. This is not a place where seeing how
little you can do to just "get by" makes any sense at all.
This is a place where you want to see HOW MUCH you can do!
Make a game of it. Have FUN.
If you want to give yourself (and the world) some extra
voltage, write a note of appreciation to -- gasp! -- a
political leader.
"Remember," Mr. Wattles tells us, "that they are all helping
to arrange the lines of transmission along which your riches
will come to you, and be grateful. This will bring you into
harmonious relations with the good in everything, and the
good in everything will move toward you."
For some of us right now, this may be a HUGE challenge.
Well, that's exactly the point! And the results of building
the gratitude habit are huge, too. Look for the good. Seek
the common ground. Focus on what unites rather than
separates. "More life to all, and less to none."
Now, while you're engaged in acknowledging and expressing
your gratitude, notice how it makes you FEEL. (And how that
great feeling lingers and makes EVERYTHING look better!) One
word of warning: Don't do it with the idea of the other
person responding in kind. That may or may not happen. But
this exercise isn't about that; it's about what feeling and
expressing gratitude does for YOU.
I'll go first. Thank you for reading this! You have no idea
how helpful it is to me personally to have you holding me
accountable with each article and helping me get better at
"practicing what I preach."
I appreciate you! And you know, just in case this finds you
having one of those "haywire" days, there are a LOT of other
people who appreciate you, too, even though they may not
have said so lately.
Believe it! You are a gift to the whole planet, and I am
grateful.
* Note: If you don't know what an "Okie" is, it's a person
from the state of Oklahoma here in the U.S. To non-Okie
ears, Okie-speak seems to be delivered with a rather
distinctive "twang." ;-)
____________
Rebecca Fine is the founder of The Science of Getting Rich
Network where you can download your free copy of the amazing
1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich by
visiting through the following link http://snurl.com/sogr1
No, that title isn't the written _expression of my old Okie*
accent kicking in. "Thank" is EXACTLY the right word! (My
apologies to the late Napoleon Hill, author of the classic,
Think and Grow Rich.)
Gratitude is like a muscle. It takes regular exercise to
strengthen it and make it strong. And if you find yourself
in a situation where it SEEMS like there's nothing much to
be grateful for, you'll find it of little avail to try to
FORCE gratitude. It's slippery that way -- kind of like
trying to force yourself to sleep when you're wide awake.
In those times, the key is simply to relax and just let
yourself be WILLING to be grateful. To just let yourself
look around with "soft eyes." I heard it said once that
there is no one who has so little that gratitude is
impossible -- and there is no one who has so much that
gratitude is inevitable.
It's a choice. In every moment.
Once your gratitude muscle is toned up from regular use and
repetition, you'll find things that were formerly difficult
become effortless -- just as walking up four or five flights
of stairs doesn't "wind" you when you're in shape.
Did you know that it's possible to establish a new habit
with 21-28 consecutive days of practice? So since the
habitual practice of gratitude WILL change for the better
the way you look at virtually everything, why not get to
work on it right now?
I promise you that THIS exercise is NOT boring, you don't
need special equipment or clothing, and you don't have to
worry about looking silly in front of strangers!
Here it is:
Every day for the next 21 days, express your gratitude and
appreciation to one or more people -- via email, phone,
notes or cards, or in person. It might be gratitude for
something we think of as small and (seemingly) insignificant
-- a kind word, a smile of encouragement. It might even be
asking to speak to the supervisor of someone who gives you
wonderful service in a shop or restaurant in order to offer
praise and appreciation.
This last one is especially powerful. Samuel Goldwyn (one of
the founders of Metro Goldwyn Mayer, the giant movie studio)
once said, "When somebody does something good, applaud.
You'll make two people happy." When you acknowledge and
thank someone in a PUBLIC way, you get to spread the good
feelings around even more widely!
You might also want to express gratitude for something that
feels really "big" -- like finally saying thanks to that
favorite teacher who made an impossible subject interesting
or someone who believed in you when it seemed like no one
else did. It might be saying thank you to God, however you
conceive of your Higher Power.
Do this CONSCIOUSLY -- and with gusto, flair, and style!
Once, to thank a friend, I bought a poster board and markers
and made a big silly sign, then took the subway all the way
to the top of Manhattan and hung it in tree in a tiny park.
I then called my friend and told her to look out the window!
That was nearly 20 years ago and it still makes us grin to
think of it. Take a few minutes to make a gratitude list --
everyone you can think of that you can thank in the next 21
days.
Keep adding to it. This is not a place where seeing how
little you can do to just "get by" makes any sense at all.
This is a place where you want to see HOW MUCH you can do!
Make a game of it. Have FUN.
If you want to give yourself (and the world) some extra
voltage, write a note of appreciation to -- gasp! -- a
political leader.
"Remember," Mr. Wattles tells us, "that they are all helping
to arrange the lines of transmission along which your riches
will come to you, and be grateful. This will bring you into
harmonious relations with the good in everything, and the
good in everything will move toward you."
For some of us right now, this may be a HUGE challenge.
Well, that's exactly the point! And the results of building
the gratitude habit are huge, too. Look for the good. Seek
the common ground. Focus on what unites rather than
separates. "More life to all, and less to none."
Now, while you're engaged in acknowledging and expressing
your gratitude, notice how it makes you FEEL. (And how that
great feeling lingers and makes EVERYTHING look better!) One
word of warning: Don't do it with the idea of the other
person responding in kind. That may or may not happen. But
this exercise isn't about that; it's about what feeling and
expressing gratitude does for YOU.
I'll go first. Thank you for reading this! You have no idea
how helpful it is to me personally to have you holding me
accountable with each article and helping me get better at
"practicing what I preach."
I appreciate you! And you know, just in case this finds you
having one of those "haywire" days, there are a LOT of other
people who appreciate you, too, even though they may not
have said so lately.
Believe it! You are a gift to the whole planet, and I am
grateful.
* Note: If you don't know what an "Okie" is, it's a person
from the state of Oklahoma here in the U.S. To non-Okie
ears, Okie-speak seems to be delivered with a rather
distinctive "twang." ;-)
____________
Rebecca Fine is the founder of The Science of Getting Rich
Network where you can download your free copy of the amazing
1910 forgotten classic, The Science of Getting Rich by
visiting through the following link http://snurl.com/sogr1
Live With Passion!
Phyllis
