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Thankfulness



“We are in a wrong state of mind if we are not in a thankful state of mind.”

 

-        Charles Spurgeon

 

 

 

 

Thankfulness is an important practice to master. We all must continue to “practice” thankfulness because of the imperfect world in which we live. This foundation of thankfulness must be “practiced” because no one alive can claim to be thankful 100% of the time, nor should you deride yourself for failing to achieve such a feat. No matter how positive, upbeat or thankful we may think we are, there will always be instances which cause us to doubt how we could possibly respond in a positive manner to such tragic situations. Whether a loved one passes away, we suddenly lose our ability to generate income or we get into a car accident, there are some situations which are exceedingly difficult to find the silver lining. The dark clouds of negative circumstances that occasionally present challenges to our optimism should be viewed as opportunities to practice thankfulness and gratitude instead of wallowing in self-pity and depression. But how does one define thankfulness? Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the term “thankful” in the following ways:

 

1: conscious of benefit received

 

2: expressive of thanks

 

3: well pleased or glad

 

For the purposes of the Matthew Byers Method, thankfulness is a practice that looks for the positive in every situation and extends gratitude to those who have blessed us with the good things in life that bring us joy. Seeking joy through thankfulness and communicating that gratitude to others in a manner in which they understand and appreciate is the most simplistic way of defining the foundation of thankfulness within the Matthew Byers Method. The following chapter will further define this foundation as it relates to the other eleven foundations discussed in this book.



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