“It’s not happy people who are thankful, but thankful people who are happy.” – Anonymous
Everyone has a “happiness set-point.” It’s the general level of happiness they experience day to day. Some people are happier than others. Good things can happen that temporarily raise their level of happiness and bad things can temporarily lower their happiness. But, everyone tends to return to their set-point after a relatively short period of time.
You know how you can permanently raise your set-point? Practice gratitude. Regularly, intentionally practicing gratitude, whether it’s thanking someone for good they’ve done, thanking a spouse for a kindness expressed, or thanking God for the many blessings he’s given, regularly expressing thanks empowers us to permanently increase our happiness set-point regardless of circumstances.
God designed us this way, to be grateful, thankful, generous people. He tells us that we ought to “be thankful in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18). So, be thankful today and watch how your mood shifts, there’s a lightness in your step, and your attitude grows more positive!