Gratitude. Always.

When you’re blessed to have parents who want nothing more than to give their children the best you sometimes take things for granted. Does a fish know it’s in water? Is it aware of its surroundings? When you’re lucky enough to be given all your favorite toys as a child, you don’t question the gifts you’ve been given. However, this is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.

People often say we millennials are entitled and don’t want to work for anything. To an extent, every generation is like this and if you don’t think that you’re kidding yourself. But, we can fix it! Younger generations grow up expecting things because their parents provide everything their kids ask for. When you’re a kid you think that new set of Lego’s is the coolest toy ever and it’s never going to be topped. So, when you open that new Lego set on Christmas you think next Christmas is going to be even better. This is why we expect things because our parents care so much they only want the best. But, this can be fixed!

Gratitude can be taught. If we start asking our younger generations what they’re thankful for, we can teach it. Kids would probably say stuff like my favorite toy, my bike, or something else physical at first. With suggestion and more questioning they might produce answers like my parents, my brothers and sisters, and my house. All it takes is to put things in perspective.

When we teach gratitude over and over and over, kids will start to be thankful for things like parents, siblings, and homes first and physical things second. When I wake up, I try to be thankful and gracious that I woke up. Some people don’t wake up, so don’t waste your day complaining. Others don’t get that privilege. This will not only change our relationships but, our society as a whole.