Thursday is Thanksgiving, which causes me to reflect on what I am thankful for in my life. 

As our long-fought freedoms slowly slip away from us due to the Legislature, I have to remember to be thankful for living in this country. I don’t know what the end result will be for our lifestyle in the next few years, but right now I am thankful for all the freedoms that I am enjoying in my life.

Alfred North Whitehead, who is an English mathematician and philosopher, once said: “No one who achieves success does so without the help of others. The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.” 

We are all dependent upon each other for successes in our careers, hobbies and pursuits. How ungrateful we would be if we didn’t feel truly thankful for those people who have helped us get to where we are today.

Those who complain incessantly about everything are not taking the time to ponder about the blessings received over the last year: our health, our families, the places where we live, the food we eat and our jobs. Now, if we didn’t have any of those things, then maybe we would have reason to complain but for most of us, we live in a place many others in the world would envy, and whatever short-term trials we have to live through, soon will be over.

It’s too bad we don’t have Thanksgiving more than once a year because as a people, we only seem to be thankful when we are reminded. We live in such a great country; it’s easy to take it for granted.

Another thought for being thankful is by Jim Rohn who says: “To receive more you must first be thankful for what you already have. Thanksgiving opens the doors for good ideas to flow, while cynicism blocks the door of good ideas.”

Jim Rohn was just a regular guy back in the ’30s who wanted a better life for himself and his family. He teamed up with another man who was an entrepreneur and became very successful at motivating people to work toward a better life. Through his “Five Major Pieces to the Life Puzzle,” he has influenced many for good.  These five pieces are:

Philosophy - How you think.

Attitude - How you feel.

Action - What you do.

Results - Measure often to see if you are making progress; and

Lifestyle - The kind of life you can make for yourself out of the first four pieces.

So whether you need motivation for a better life or are living a life of contentment, we should remember to be thankful for what we already have and tell others in our lives how we feel about them. This ideal makes for a much happier holiday.

Contact Steimle at valeriesteimle@yahoo.com, www.stregthenyourhome.com or read her blog at www.valeriesteimle.blogspot.com.