I know how hard it can be to stay positive and thankful when we are surrounded by constant negativity and struggles. Ever since I started working on having an attitude of gratitude I have been able to appreciate all the little details that make life truly beautiful and worth fighting for. We often hear things like, “There’s always something to be thankful for,” and I can’t agree with this statement more. As thanksgiving approaches I’d like to share with you an easy and practical way to stay thankful, not just during November, but everyday of the year.
My mentor passed down a very easy and practical way to have an attitude of gratitude and I’m amazed at how simple and helpful it is! Do you ever wear bracelets? Beaded ones, maybe? If not, I encourage you to start doing so today!
I have been wearing a beaded bracelet on my left wrist that I use daily to stay thankful in life’s everyday situations and challenges.
My bracelet has 18 beads on it, and every morning and through out the day, I use each bead as a reminder of all the people, things, and situations I am thankful for.
For example, I will grab one bead, hold it in between my fingers and say, “I am thankful for waking up,” move to the next bead, “I am thankful for the sunrise,” move to the next bead, “I am thankful for another day of opportunities,” and continue around the bracelet until I have said I am thankful for 18 specific things.
Before I started doing this I often kept a negative and ungrateful attitude and sometimes it was hard to find specific things I could be thankful for. As I’ve continued to do this with my bracelet, coming up with all the things I can be thankful for isn’t so hard anymore. They come to mind so much more quickly and I am able to acknowledge how God moves in every detail of our everyday lives.
Because I have struggled with insecurities, I started doing the same thing to stay thankful for who God created me to be. When negative thoughts about myself sneak in my mind, I grab the bracelet on my wrist and begin to remind myself of the truth. I grab one bead and start making my way around the bracelet…
“I am loved. I am strong. I am beautiful. I am not a mistake. I am a difference maker. I inspire others. I am powerful. I am not lazy. I am never alone. I am a fighter. I am a dreamer. I make others smile. I am a light. I am capable. I have a big, caring heart. I work hard. Others look up to me. I am awesome.”
And sometimes I will be more specific about my own characteristics like: I am thankful for my blue eyes, I am thankful for my smile, I am thankful for ears, I am thankful for my hair color…
This has really help me to be more loving toward myself because I know that God created me with purpose and a plan. So if you struggle with insecurities, put this into action every single day and see how things change!
This can be so life changing if you apply it to your own everyday life. It’s really made a huge difference for me and created an attitude that is much stronger when trials come my way. I’d also encourage you to start journaling the things you are thankful for each day because it has been proven that writing those things down leaves you with a positive attitude.
This tip is so simple and practical! I hope you start today!
Keep Growing and Keep Living Free
-Hannah C.
Live Free 
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