Gratitude is free to all, yet pays exponentially. Forget Apple. Invest in Gratitude.
This is the monthly download of my daily gratitude practice–everyday I try to post five things I am grateful for. Gratitude continues to alter my life in so many ways. I don’t expect anyone to read this list, but I hope you discover the power of gratitude.
February 2013
Thank you for the way my son puts his hand on my heart when we sleep together; my wife being such an amazingly successful doctor; Frankenweenie for movie night with the family; the wonderful massage my wife gave me; my older son’s joy for play.
Thank you for the way my son pulls me down by the ears and says, “sweep wit me”; my parents inviting us to go on a cruise; Mark Matias my insurance agent; the break my wife gave me to watch a movie; all the videos we have of my sons.
Thank you for storytime at the local library; all the multicultural children books that are available nowadays; poker with friends; burritos with guacamole; peace of mind.
Thank you for everyone who listens compassionately; the wonderful dialogue I had with my wife tonight; puppies; the workers who provide us with food; understanding without judgment.
Thank you for my 3 year old’s self-drawn Yakuza tattoos; the wonderful conversation with Johnnycrabcakes; rediscovering the heart-trembling voice of Natalie Merchant on iPod shuffle; my sons’ love for Bob Marley; the self-compassion I am cultivating.
Thank you for the wonderful tennis facilities we have here; our iPad; the health I enjoy as I grow older; my step-father’s concern for me and my family; the wonderful mother at my son’s school who always says hi with a smile.
Thank you for Happy Hollow Park; the Year of the Snake–time to shed some skin; agedashi tofu; my son’s basketball game which revealed my impatience and selfishness; iMovie.
Thank you for my 3 year old waking me up from a bad dream by yelling, “No, Daddy”; my 3 year old prohibiting me from thinking about an argument by yelling, “No, Daddy”; spam musubi; the forgiving women in church who put up with my sons running around the pews during service; the well needed rest my wife got yesterday.
Thank you for morning play-doh with the kids; synchronicity with my BBFs; Maddy sharing Bashar with us; all the lessons I am learning about how to raise children using positive energy; Rumi.
Thank you for peeled skinless grapefruit; my older son’s Picasso pencil drawings; Alia’s wonderful comment about my son on the Thought Ninja post; microwave ovens; being able to speak English.
Thank you for random acts of kindness; how sensitive my son is; the peace we enjoy IN our country; clean air to breathe; having an incredible woman to love on Valentine’s Day.
Thank you for the safety of my sons and wife on their trip; time to write; IZ Kamakawiwo’ole’s soothing voice; NPR; bell hooks.
Thank you for my family’s safe arrival in NY; time with my cousins; my faith; Facetime; the way my son tells me he loves me when he senses that I need a hug.
Thank you for grandparents who love my children; my son saying he wants to come home from NY already just to be with me; Silver Linings Playbook; Tomas’s post on Patriarchy and Yin; letting it be.
Thank you for Japanese Fried Rice from Trader Joes; TedTalks; less violence against women and children; all the wonderful comments on the conflict resolution post; 9 hours of restful sleep last night.
Thank you for my wife and sons coming home tomorrow; our public library; modern dental care; Rarasaur’s #peacecat; being able to spend so much time reading, writing, and experiencing love, peace, and gratitude.
Thank you for my wife and son safely catching their plane; all the faithful and generous followers of Everyday Gurus; haiku poetry; Eckhart Tolle’s speech on youtube; the awakening of oneness in my peace practice.
Thank you for the time to read to my children; letting go of things I can’t change; sleeping with my sons again; faith in the present moment; the continued support from my friend from elementary school.
Thank you for Boba tea; Imahara’s market; the wisdom of children; pull-up diapers; my love of life no matter what my present circumstances.
Thank you for how my sons hug each other; possible career ties with my wife; getting my haircut with my boys; Pho; positive sentiment override.
Thank you for watching my son do cartwheels; my wife’s silly sense of humor; vegetarian meals; finding God on the internet; being able to go to Jeff Foster’s day-long meeting on Saturday.
Thank you for peaceful sleeping children; the warm moist smell of my son’s breath as we sleep nose to nose; imaginary spaceships, boats, and forts; {{{Group Hugs}}} with my sons; the power that is me and my wife.
Thank you for sunny t-shirt weather in February; the realization that I already am rich beyond measure; “thank you walks” with my sons; how my youngest son says “Hi” to random people on the street; the new career inspiration.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and/or smiling.
Related articles
- Everyday Thanksgiving – January 2013 (everydaygurus.com)
- Are You Thankful? (shirley-mclain.net)
everyday gurus 
Ah, I love your gratitude downloads, they’re uplifting and fun. 🙂 Yay for all the wonderful things in this world!
Yay, for Rara–another wonderful thing in this world. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
What an exquisite post – I am grateful for you!
I’m grateful for you as well, Julie. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
My fav part was when you told us that your son now says to hi to randoms on the street LOL too cute! Great share my friend. Great share here.
Thank you, Lady Lovely. It cracks me and the random stranger up when my 3 year old says, “Hi” really loud. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
That’s one beautiful list! Especially love the tattoos and the smiling face that goes with them. xxoo
Children are a blessing everyday, as you know, Grandmalin. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Just goes to show, there is so much to be thankful for, but we have to open our eyes and look!
You got that right, Kitt. I’m amazed at how easy this exercise is to do everyday. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Every time I read your posts, I leave with such a smile on my face I’m afraid it might be borderline perversion leering after your son’s cheeks..
Great list ! Really humbling to be thankful everyday , your family seems beautiful (:
Thanks, Laughing Duck. I have to admit that I’m addicted to my son’s cheeks. I hug, squeeze, kiss, and pinch them every chance I get. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Love it Kozo, it’s amazing how much there is to be grateful for when we just late a closer look 🙂
Those are some really fun and adorable things to be grateful for, love the Yakuza tattoos haha!
Hugs, have a great weekend 🙂
Rohan.
Thanks Rohan. I’m starting to realize that just “taking a closer look” can really change our lives. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
How inspiring. When you put so many little things together, they really do become giants, great gratitude giants.
I agree, Melanie. When I do the five things to be grateful everyday, it does not seem like much. But at the end of the month, it turns into a giant snowball of gratitude. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
And thank you Kozo for sharing and reminding us of how much there is to be grateful for every day.
Thank you, Lena. I am overjoyed that so many people get pleasure from my humble list. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
What a bounty of gratitude! Giving thanks is so good for the soul 😀 Thanks for sharing this..I am reminded to do the same today!
Good for the soul is right, TMGK. These lists really make me realize what is truly important in life. So often we get sidetracked by distractions that we forget what the true beauty of life is. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I just put you in my gratitude journal Kozo. Always inspiring when you read a long list of what someone is grateful for, it is hard to imagine there is time for anything bad to be happening. Thank you for the inspiration my friend! Keep being awesome!
Yay, I’m in one of Jonathan’s journals. Quite an honor. Gratitude does help me shine light on the darkness. I don’t see a lot as “bad” when I have so much to be thankful for. Thank you for being my inspiration. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
To add: Thank you for a wonderful post to remind us to be thankful. There are so many things to be thankful for in life. You are amazing!
Thank you, Ute. I am so grateful of all the wonderful blogging friends who take time to read and comment on my humble list. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Kozo, you are adorable.
That means a lot, Goldfish, coming from the creator of adorable. I was tempted to put your fox drawing in this post, but I did not want to violate any copyright laws. 🙂 {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I really look forward to these posts, Kozo! We all have so much to be grateful for 😀 You are amazing {{{hugs}}}
Dianne,
You know I am grateful for you. You are an example of what pure and beautiful thoughts can do for one’s life. I need these lists to stay positive. Your blog and life give me faith in the power of positive thinking. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I’m smiling…huge smiles.
Yay, 1G4AW. Your smiles are adding to the positive energy that I am so grateful for. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Thank you for such a wonderful list – how many things it reminds me to be thankful for in my own life! Be well~
Thank you for reading and commenting, Bussokuseki. I am now following your blog. We seem to be very similar in our ideals. I look forward to learning more from your presence. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Thank you for the smile I’m currently wearing! Much Love, Sandy
Thank you, Sandy. Your smile lights my day. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
love the Yakuza tattoos…no cutting off fingers, though…they do that right? or used to? thank you for your grateful heart ♥ and sharing it not only with us, BBFs, but especially with your beautiful family. i think i need this…here i go again…how do you this? i see you have a gratitude widget here. how do you keep track so you know at the end of the month what to download? i love the concept! anyway, thank you again, and yes, brother IZ, a beautiful singer…Somewhere Over the Rainbow. awesome rendition. 🙂 ~hugs~
Sunshine, how do you know so much about things that I love? Yes, Yakuza still cut off fingers, but my sons still have plastic swords, so no blood yet.:) I love Bruda IZ’s rendition as well.
For the list, I create a page called everyday thanksgiving. I cut and paste the previous day’s list every night to the page. A bit tedious, but it is definitely worth it. Let me know if you have any questions. Can’t wait to see your list. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I love your son’s art work – he is a little Picasso! And, I am grateful for many of the things you mentioned! Gratitude is so important and what an inspiring reminder…I need to post my list sometime soon. 🙂
Thanks, Kartika. I realized that it was a bit audacious comparing my son’s art work to Picasso. What I really meant to say was picassoesque. It just reminds me of Picasso’s work.
I love how he sits there with a pencil and just keeps drawing until the whole page is covered. I told him to color it in and he said, “No, Daddy. If I color it in, you won’t be able to see the shapes.”
Can’t wait to read your list. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Dear Kozo, I really like the way you write “Thank you” at the beginning of every list item…. it keeps the intention in focus. I’m going to do that to my pieces from now on. Much love to you…Ruth
Thanks, Ruth. I can’t believe how people actually enjoy reading this list. I started posting it as the practice I learned from you, but it seems to affect others in addition to me and my family. So once again, thank again for introducing this practice to me. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
You have some real budding artists, there. I JUST don’t see what is so inappropriate about adults doing that sort of body art. 😀 It is good to be small!
You got that right, Jean. I’m not sure how I would feel if my son told me he was going to get a “sleeve” tattoo when he turns 16. haha. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
What a lovely gift for my morning. I am thankful for you.
[…] my ‘It’s the Little Things’ post, partly by the above experience and partly by the content of this blog post. I’ve decided to try to become more aware of and grateful for the things around me and to not […]
Lovely, Kozo! I especially enjoy reading your gratitude posts, feels my heart with warmth and joy!
Thank you for being such a wonderful BBF, Sofia. I am so grateful for WP, BBFs, and you. You have no idea how much you guys have done for me. Actually, knowing how empathetic you are , you probably do know how much you mean to me. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
♥
I hope you didn’t mind me stealing your idea. I’m guessing not though seeing as you wanted to spread the love and gratitude. Thanks for the post, and the inspiration!!
I’m grateful to be able to share this idea. I actually learned it from Writing Ruth. I hope your practice brings you as much joy as mine. {{{Hugs}}} kozo
So far so good. It’s amazing how differently you see the world/your life when you take a moment to consider what you’re grateful for.
Thank you Kozo for reminding me of the power of practicing gratitude. There is so much in this world to appreciate and be grateful for.Gratitude is a very high frequency that attracts wonders and miracles to those who practice expressing it sincerely. I was lifted up by reading your post, so not only did you change your life for the better but mine as well. Many blessings, Alia
Alia,
I could say the same thing about your posts–you change my life as well. Thank you for your kind words. I love this daily practice because it is so easy to fall out of gratitude, but when we take a close look, we are all blessed. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Indeed we are very blessed. Peace, Alia
YOU are, WE are rich beyond measure! Thank you so much, Dear Kozo, for your juicy bookeeping skills! Get it published! You will change people’s lives ~ ♥ tomas
Haha, Tomas. I will gladly be the gratitude bookkeeper. Thank you for the wonderful idea of publishing it. I never thought of that before, but it is a wonderful list. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
[…] Everyday Gurus […]
No pressure, but I nominated you for the HUG award. Details are here: http://jrosenberry1.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/hope-unites-globally/
Thankfully it isn’t as complicated as other awards. 🙂
[…] For those of you who don’t remember, this ‘being grateful for 5 things a day’ thing was inspired partly by my ‘It’s the Little Things’ post, partly by our British Museum experience, and partly by Kozo. […]
Kozo you certainly lead a charmed life, and the best part is – anyone can duplicate your smashing success by feeling immense gratitude for what they already have right now! Realizing how blessed I am with friends like yourself, I’m enriched by the love I feel and know I’m 1 happy camper. 😀 ♥
Most of all I’m grateful for experiencing life just-as-it-is. ☼Bring It☼
[…] Everyday Thanksgiving – February 2013 (everydaygurus.com) […]
“Thank you for the time…”
One theme through your gratitude seems to be for having some time for things. I’m going to be grateful for time tonight, too. I am going to appreciate the value of it, and all the ways that time enriches my life when I make use of the time that I am blessed with.
Huuugs. Thanks for all the wonderful things you share, taking YOUR time to write things that make OUR time that much richer.
I didn’t notice that before, WNL. Yes, I am blessed with time. Thank you for reminding me. {{{hugs}}} kozo