Pay Attention to Those Little Signs in Life

With age comes wisdom, or so the expression goes. One hesitates to suggest that wisdom has been bestowed upon oneself, yet there are some life lessons one has accumulated during these past 46 years. The importance of living life with a sense of gratitude cannot be overstated. There is always something for which to be grateful, a beautiful sunset, family, health, friends, a fragrant flower, whatever. It only takes a few moments to feel gratitude and contentment. It has such a positive effect on oneself in numerous ways. Training one's mind to lead a grateful life also requires having a positive attitude-- that is, the habit of tending to see more positive aspects of life and not dwelling on the negative ones (i.e. Is the glass half empty or half full?). 

It may seem silly, but the habit of expressing gratitude, to oneself and to others is an important aspect of living life with a sense of gratitude. Make a habit of always saying thank you to others, when appropriate, so it becomes engrained in your nature. Saying the words thank you aloud sets powerful energy into the Universe, and it feels good as well. Equally important are finding those moments each day, throughout the day, to say thank you to oneself, to ones Creator, or just to the Universe. It is much easier than it sounds. Allow your mind to be open to the signs of life to remind yourself to do so. The photo above is at the interior of the driveway exit of a restaurant/hotel in Palm Springs. It is the last thing a guest sees as they exit the property. The establishment understands the importance of saying thank you to its customers. I snapped a photo of this sign one day, as a constant reminder to be thankful. Paying attention to those little signs in life, even if as simple as a "Thank You" sign can help live a life with a sense of gratitude. 
Thank you.