Gratitude – Friday Fundamentals

With Thanksgiving yesterday, many of us are coming out of our food coma and reflecting on spending a great day with friends and family. I want to thank those who weren’t able to spend time with their families because they are protecting yours, mine, and theirs.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Getting to spend time with family, look forward to Christmas in just a few weeks, think about how your year has gone so far, and start looking ahead to next year. These times give me so much to be grateful for, as I’m sure they do you as well.

Gratitude is a powerful mindset. Reflecting on the things and people you are grateful for might possibly be the strongest emotion, once you tap into it. Don’t believe me? Let’s try it. Think of all the people you are grateful for – family, friends, co-workers, people you look up to and inspire you, that awesome barista at your local coffee shop, your barber or hairdresser, or anyone else who you are glad is in your life. Look to the environment around you – your community, your town, your home, circle of friends, your career, organizations you’re part of, your nation, or any other thing that you may take for granted. What about your experiences and abilities – traveling to see family, spending time relaxing on vacation, the freedom to do things you want, learning new things, investing in awesome deals, and so much more.

Each one of us has so much to be thankful for. Warren Buffet said just being born in the US, you have won the lottery. That alone is something to be thankful for.

This weekend, I’ll be sitting around with my family eating great food, laughing, and digging up embarrassing baby pictures. It’s times like these that make me realize this is why I do what I do.

Some people are only able to spend time with their family once or twice a year during the holidays. That may be enough or even too much for others because, let’s face it, we all have a few crazies in our family! You may be thankful they only have to endure this a couple of times per year.

For others though, this time is neither frequent nor long enough. You’re left wishing the holidays weren’t ending and looking forward to the next time you get to see everyone.

Either way, we could all be more thankful for the things we appreciate in this life. Many people are more than thankful for the time they get to spend with family, volunteer, or just take some much-deserved downtime from the hustle and bustle of life. However, most people only take time to reflect on what they’re thankful around this time of the year and Thanksgiving holiday.

It’s important to constantly remind yourself what and who you are thankful for. Be thankful for all of the positive things in your life – in the past, present, and future.

Work this little exercise into your morning routine. Take a couple of minutes to reflect on the things you’re thankful for – from physical things, like your coffee maker on a cold morning, to more abstract things like health, prosperity, opportunities, freedom, and all the other blessings in your life.

If being in control of your future is important, then I encourage you to live your life intentionally. Identify what’s important to you, make a plan of how to achieve that, and then set the plan in action.

For many, real estate investing is a great vehicle for building a lifestyle that will allow you to do what you want, when you want, where you want. This is complete freedom – financially, physically, and mentally.

Some, unfortunately, don’t ever give thought to building their own lifestyle. They simply settle for what is “normal”. Many people get wrapped up looking ahead and don’t stop and reflect on the things they’re thankful for in life. Without this reflection, you can lose track of what matters to you and get caught up chasing things that don’t really matter.

Be thankful. Be humble. Never stop building a life around things that make you happy.