Yesterday, I went to get acupuncture for a pinched nerve in my back. The place where I went to is owned and operated by a wonderful Vietnamese family and they do remarkable work. As I sat in the examination room, the young Vietnamese therapist asked me when I first experienced the accident that caused the pinched nerve. I exclaimed, 1976! He commented that that was the year “he believed” he was born… Naturally, I didn’t let that comment go un-explained…so I inquired why “he believed” he was born in the year 1976. He shared the following brief story with me…
He said he arrived in this country by boat from Vietnam…as in a refugee boat. He said that during the trip, their boat was attacked by “pirates” not once, not twice, but on three different occasions. Each time, they stole all the food, water, and even the boat engine. They beat the men and raped the women. He said he “believed” he was about 4 years old when all this took place.
I was speechless…
As I prepared this morning for my regular staff meeting, the thought of this young Vietnamese man weighed heavily on my mind. As we move into the Thanksgiving week…I have so much to be grateful for. The life that I’ve lived as an American far surpasses the lives of most other people in other countries on this planet. The minor things that I view as “problems” are not problems at all…they are just minor inconveniences…not problems. Every night I’ve lived on this planet, I’ve had a roof over my head, food in my stomach and warm blankets to cover me when needed. That is a statement that far too many other people in this world cannot attest to…
So during my staff meeting, I asked my team if someone created a pill that if taken each day would make the following changes in your life…guaranteed! If there was such a pill…would they take it? This pill would:
- Make you happier
- Make people like you
- Make you healthier
- Boosts your career
- Strengthen your emotions
- Develop your personality
- Make you more optimistic
- Reduce materialism
- Make you less self-centered
- Increase self-esteem
- Improve your sleep
- Let you live longer
- Increase your energy level
- Make you more likely to exercise
- Make your memories happier
- Reduces envy
- Help you relax
- Make you friendlier
- Help your marriage
- Make you look good
- Deepen relationships
- Make you a more effective manager
- Increase your goal achievement
- Improve your decision making
- Increase your productivity
Naturally, they all said yes! Well…there is no such pill…but only a practice…the practice of being “grateful.” Gratitude, practiced daily has scientifically been proven to help you achieve these changes in your life. Gratitude…
As we move into this Thanksgiving week…I’m hoping we will all take some time to truly reflect on our lives and begin to notice all the things, all the people, all the experiences we have to be grateful for…
We are far better off than we sometimes think…