October 18, 2015 Marc

Learning to be more Grateful and Useful

I’m trying to be more grateful for all the awesome things in my life. I got off to a good start by no longer being bitter but there’s definitely room for improvement. With that being said, each Sunday I’ll be composing a list of things that I’m grateful for. The goal with doing this exercise is to help me focus on all the positives in my life which will hopefully in turn make my life more enjoyable. It’s worth a shot, right?

So what am I grateful for this week?

  1. My American Passport- This allows me to have a quality of life and freedom that so many around the world can only dream of. There are lots of opportunities available to me simply because I live in America which I need to be more grateful for.
  2. My German Passport- As a German citizen, I have the right to live and work anywhere within the European Union. This is also a right that many others can only dream of having. We might take advantage of this someday soon!
  3. Air Conditioning- This is something that helps make living in Florida bearable. I’d be miserable without it.
  4. My Car- Even though it’s my biggest financial regret, it’s a reliable means of transportation that gets me to and from work and everywhere else that I’d like to go. It’s taken me on vacations and it’s helped get my errands done on numerous occasions. It allows me be to self-sufficient and travel in a practical manner. I don’t want to have a car forever but it’s helped give me a good quality of life.
  5. The Internet- Life would be a lot different for me without the Internet. It’s helped me get through school, get my wife’s phone number, and it allows people all over the world to read what I have to say. I could go on and on but that would be a post within itself.
  6. My House- This is where the more enjoyable aspects of my life usually take place. I look forward to going home once the work day is over with. It’s where my family and I are safe and protected from the outside world. Sure, it has its faults but its character makes it a great first house for my wife and I to own. Lots of great memories have been made here.
  7. Music- I’d consider music to play a big part in my life. I usually listen to it when I write. It helps get my creativity going. Sometimes music pumps me up and other times it calms me down. Some songs remind me of things that happened in the past, both good and bad. Other songs help me realize just how good I’ve got it. Music makes everything okay.

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I’ll also be talking about things that make me smile every Sunday. Why? To help me be more grateful for everything I have; no matter how big or small.

I got this idea from Shane Burcaw. I’ve been following him for a while now. Long story short, he has a disease that is eventually going to kill him. He’s been in a wheel chair since he was 2 years old but he hasn’t let this stop him from enjoying his life and making a difference.

If he can smile, then what excuse do I have not to?!

Things that made me Smile This Week:

  • Monday: My wife and I had off for Columbus Day. I got paid to have a day off and spend it with my wife. To make things even better, it was a Monday. We went to lunch with my parents and we spent some time with relatives that we don’t see that often. All these things made me smile.
  • Tuesday: My work day went by quickly and that always makes me smile.
  • Wednesday: I had a half day at work and this was our 3-month anniversary of being married. It’s been an awesome time so far and we went out for dinner to celebrate. It was a good time and the company made me smile.
  • Thursday: My wife and I went for a run after work. The weather was really nice. We ran along the water while the sun was setting. That made me smile.
  • Friday: It was my grandma’s birthday so we went over there for pizza after work. She’s 81 now but still as sharp as a tack. That makes me smile.
  • Saturday: I didn’t have to work so my wife and I went to a corn maze. It was the first time either of us did one and it was a lot of fun. We (mostly I) had kettle corn which was really good. We had some awesome barbeque for lunch. My dad came over after work and we watched sports. It was a good time. All these things made me smile.
  • Sunday: I was able to spend more time with my wife today which is always a plus. We went out for lunch with my brother-in-law which we don’t do often. I also played a bunch of Fifa ’16 which I thoroughly enjoy. I was smiling throughout.

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Lastly, I’ll be sharing what I did to improve myself as a writer/entrepreneur/person this past week. My hopes are that if something helped me, that it could help you too.

What I did to improve:

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That wraps things up for the second week of trying to be more grateful and being more helpful to my readers. I hope you have an awesome upcoming week!