Do you celebrate the things you do have?

How often do you turn back and really think about things that you already have? Often/not so often/rarely/hardly ever/never?

The other day I paused to think about it. From time to time you can hear people complaining about not being able to have this or to do that or about crappy life altogether.

Once I started thinking about the question of celebrating the things you have, I had realized that it might be a useful practice. First, I made a list of things that I take pride in, or which I am happy about. It turned out that I just cannot be unhappy about things I already have.

• Education

Thanks to my parents, my country and my never ceasing desire to learn as much as I can my education turned out just fine. I went to a great school, did my degree at an amazing university and took all extracurricular activities I wanted.

• Personality

Practical approach to things with a dab of optimism to it. Compartmentalization. Stubbornness (perhaps, a bit too much of it). I am grateful for personality I have, because it helped me a lot.  

• Relationship

Family is precious. My amazing husband. It’s just impossible not to celebrate those things.

• Work

I thought this one would be tricky, but it wasn’t. I never did what I learned to do, never quite used my degree. However, I did a bunch of other things and I am glad I did. It gave me knowledge, new skills and new perspectives. Hurray for diversity!

The list can go on and on. The main thing is to concentrate on good things and avoid bad ones. It will probably not change you overall way of thinking, but it is likely to improve your mood for a day. Worked for me, anyways!

One more good thing about this list: the older you get, the longer it becomes.