Life is short. It’s a fact that we all know but is so easily forgotten in our day to day lives. This past summer a friend of mine died in a car accident. It was a head on collision. She was killed along with the driver of the other car. We will never know why she was driving on the wrong side of the road. It was late and it was dark. Alcohol was not involved.

She was in her early 20s, as was the driver of the other car. Their whole lives were in front of them until this fateful night when it was all cut tragically short. My friends parents lost their only child. I do believe that their is a higher plan at work, however I make absolutely no attempt to understand. I can’t understand it from the limited vantage point of my life. It makes no sense to me.

The point of this story is not to bring sadness or to attempt to understand death. It is simply to remind you that no one knows when their life or the life of a loved one will end.

What are you taking for granted and what will you do to show thankfulness for the gifts that you have been given?

I know that sometimes, when life isn’t going the way you want it to, it is very easy to lose track of what you do have.  Demonstrating thankfulness for what you have been given and looking for the good in life is a powerful way of refocusing your energy and maintaining a positive mind set.

Here are some ways that you can show your thankfulness for what you have.

• Keep a daily gratitude list and write down all that you are thankful for as your day progresses. If you’re having trouble coming up with something, start small.  Some things that I am thankful for today are a wonderful night’s sleep, time to spend with my family decorating the Christmas tree, and sunshine on a beautiful day.
• Tell the important people in your life what they mean to you. The fact of the matter is that they won’t always be there, so tell them now. Don’t waste any opportunity to say thank you.
• Take the time to help someone in need. Show that you are thankful for what you have by sharing it with others. These can be small gestures. Open the door for someone with their hands full. Let someone in front of you when you’re stuck in traffic. Give a smile to someone who looks like they need a friendly face. In the spirit of the Christmas season you might consider showing your thankfulness by donating  a toy to an organization that gives toys to children who other wise might not receive a Christmas present.
• Imagine that you a receiving the award for “The Best Lived Life” what would your acceptance speech say, who would you thank and what would you be thankful for?
• Demonstrate true thankfulness for the life you’ve been given by making the most of it and living the life of your dreams. It’s never too late, you can start today.

To the family and friends of my friend and the other driver of the car my thoughts and prayers are with you this holiday season. To my family and friends, I know I don’t say it enough, I love you and you mean the world to me. To all those who read this post, thank you, I wish the best for you in all that you do.

If you are struggling with creating the life that you want for yourself I would love to help you move forward toward your dreams. Let’s get your 2009 started off right with a strategy session.

Technorati Tags: coaching, gratitude, life design, making the most of life, technorati, Thankfulnesscoaching gratitude life design making the most of life technorati Thankfulness

1. Gracie Hayes Says:
   June 28th, 2010 at 11:36 am

   Chinese herbs do work because it is time tested.~”*

2. Kevin Mitchell Says:
   July 12th, 2010 at 7:51 pm

   chinese herbs are very helpful on my allergic rhinits’.*

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website