I am Thankful for you

If you are reading these words, I am thankful for you. If you are reading these words and I work with you, I am thankful for you. If you are reading this and I have worked with you at any point, I am thankful for you. If you are not reading these words and haven’t unsubscribed from this email list, I am thankful for you.

I have a job I that I love where I get to interact with so many different people from different places with different personalities, quirks, stories, it’s an incredible thing to be able to connect with all of you, to share my love of fitness, and, hopefully, to help you in your own journey.

In a sense, every day is Thanksgiving for me. I make a gratitude list every day; sometimes it’s just 3 or 4 lines, sometimes it goes on for pages, but I always do it. I have so much to be thankful for: my family is supportive, hilarious and loving, I run a successful business in an industry I love, my clients are all really cool people, I live in the greatest city in the World, I am a father to the sweetest little dog in the world, could go on and on and on.

Gratitude lists work because they provide evidence: life is great! There really is so much beauty in the world. (You know like that plastic bag in AMERICAN BEAUTY.) Even on your worst day on earth there was something worthwhile that you witnessed, experienced or thought about (usually all three). I still encounter things that suck on a daily basis. I still have to talk myself down in to avoid making a scene when I wait on line at the DMV. Anger, sadness, depression, apathy and frustration still pop up in my psyche, but gratitude keeps them from taking over.

A mindset grounded in gratitude is the most powerful tool in building a happy, successful life.

I urge my clients to make gratitude lists as part of their training programs. Making a daily gratitude list creates perspective, it acts a motivating force; even on your worst day on earth there was something worthwhile that you witnessed, experienced or thought about (usually all three). Framing your existence in this way makes pursuing the things you want less frightening, it dulls fear of uncertainty, makes your goals seem less daunting.

Gratitude lists serve as the backbone of your personal value system. A VALUE SYSTEM is not a moral code, it is an articulation of the things that you truly value. 

Having a clear and well-defined value system clarifies what it is you REALLY want, which helps in setting goals and plotting the action items needed to meet them. It all starts with gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I hope you spend some time today (and everyday) thinking about all you have to be grateful for.

Also, don’t eat too much and be sure to hit the gym on Monday!

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E-mail: michael@buckleybodysolutions.com