Have you ever known someone who’s always smiling, no matter what’s happening in their personal lives or in the world around them?
They’re the best kind of people to be around, because you’re always going to feel better having been in their presence.
I knew a lady who spent most of her adult life in a wheelchair, crippled from severe rheumatoid arthritis. She lived with constant pain…but she always had a smile on her face. I could count on it every time I saw her.
How is that possible?
How could somebody with so little to smile about always be so joyful?
Gratitude.
A wise person once explained…“It’s not joy that makes us grateful. It’s gratitude that makes us joyful.”
Therein lies the secret – when our minds are fixed on looking for things to be grateful for, we can’t help but feel joy. It’s not a whim…it’s a mindset we can develop over time with intentional focus and discipline.
In other words, just like negativity…gratefulness is a choice….therefore, joy is also a choice.
It’s hard to be grumpy when you’re looking for things for which to be thankful, isn’t it?
Today’s Peace of Wisdom can be found in choosing gratitude in order to experience joy.
This really made my evening. It made me smile and I so see the Wisdom in it. Thanks so much for all you do to reach so many people with so much knowledge, wisdom, and good sense to help us make better choices, give us new perspectives and help us see a much bigger and better picture. I so appreciate you Andy Andrews!