FFN 031: Gratitude

Let’s talk about Thanksgiving. I don’t’ want to talk with you about the history or what you ate yesterday – you can do that on your own.

I want to talk with you about the idea and concept of gratitude and why it’s so critical that men express gratitude every single day.

The fact is that it’s easy to get distracted from showing gratitude and expressing gratitude in our lives. Think about how much we have going on – business, family, life, coaching, spiritual obligations, children, civic causes, and everything else we spend our time on.

If you’re anything like me, you drive so hard that you rarely, if ever, take time to reflect upon what you currently have because you’re so focused on the future.

And, while I know there’s a time for that, there should also be time for reflection in our lives. I’m going to talk more about that in a second but I want to, first, talk with you about one of the biggest traps I think we fall into.

It’s the trap of comparison. We look around and what our neighbors have, what car they just bought, what vacations they’re going on, what kind of clothes they’re wearing, what gun they just bought, and we think to ourselves, “I want that - I want to have what they have.”

Then, what do we do? We look at Facebook and we read a blog or listen to  a podcast and think to ourselves, “Look at Ryan” or “Look at this guy? He has it all figured out and I’m just getting started.”

What a lot of us fail to realize is that we all have so many blessings around us already.

I’m sitting here in my office and I’m recording this podcast with a microphone I bought for less than $100 that gives me the ability to reach hundreds of thousands of men in a matter of minutes. I have this roof over my head and this carpet under my feet and a bed to lay in at night – a standard of living even the world’s wealthiest people didn’t have 100 years ago. We live in relative peace and harmony. The likelihood that I’ll have to defend myself or protect others is relatively low (although that’s no reason to let our guard down).

We go to work in these incredible machines that get us to and from where we need to go in minutes and hours. It used to take days and months, and even years. If the air conditioning or the radio doesn’t work on our cars, we have a meltdown.

We office in these climate controlled buildings. If it’s too hot, we flip a switch and cool down. If we’re too cold, we flip another switch and warm up.

We have books and the ability to tap into the minds of the smartest people this planet has ever known. We have TVs to stay up to date with what’s going on thousands of miles from us (although the mainstream media is not necessarily the best place to turn to for that).

We still experience wars but those wars are fought on distant countries – not here in America. I’ve talked with people from other parts of this world who have seen the horrors of war since the time they were old enough to retain those vivid memories of murder, and rape, and destruction.

You miss someone, you pick up your phone and make a call.

If you’re hungry, you go to the refridgerator and get some food – food you didn’t have to make or kill or prepare – somebody did all of that for you. All you had to do was hop in your transporation machine that again, someone else built, and get to the grocery store where they store everything you need and everything you don’t.

I can hear and see my kids today playing in the backyard on their trampoline and the basketball hoop that some children on this planet wouldn’t even recognize.

I see this American flag on my wall which represents the sacrifice of thousands of our men and women who have given all so that we may enjoy the blessings we honor once a year.

And, yet, what do I complain about? I got a flat tire. I had a bad hair day. I don’t have any clothes to wear. We’re out of food in the kitchen. Or maybe my internet is running a little slower than it normally does.

Let’s get some things in perspective here men.

I know some of you may be experience some difficult times right now. I realize some of you may be going through a separation or divorce, or a bankruptcy, or you may have just lost your job, or someone you know – or even yourself – is dealing with some health issues.

But, you’re still here. There is air in your lungs, ideas in your head, and strength in your hands and back. Even in the worst of times, there are people who can’t even imagine the level of wealth and abundance with what each of us live.

I hope you’ve taken the time this week to reflect upon all the blessings you have. The great fortune each and every one of us enjoy. But, I also hope you do this every single day.

Expressing gratitude not only brings your life more fulfillment, it also welcomes more abundance in your life because you’ve proven worthy and capable of handling the abundance you do have.

With that said guys, I want to just take a quick moment and thank you – and my family want to thank you. Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me. Thank you for tuning in each and every week to listen to what me and our guests have to say. Thank you for motivating and inspiring me to continue this work. Thank you for allowing me to pursue this dream of mine of the past couple of years.

But, most importantly, thank you for showing up as men – men in your communities, your families, your businesses. It’s apparent that the world needs us more than every.