Counting the Good in Your Life

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~ Willie Nelson

We were born with two incredible freedoms: the freedom of Will and the freedom of Choice. When we learn how to use these freedoms in our lives, we can guide, direct, and select precisely what we will have and what we will set aside.

Because of the phenomenal accomplishments made in our lifetime, because of the exponential growth of technology, because of the enormity of personal wealth, we may think that if we haven’t manifested extraordinary success, we have nothing to call good in our life.

I beg to disagree. The accomplishment of all big things is composed of hundreds of thousands of small accomplishments, every one of which was a crucial piece that contributed to the big one. I urge you to count the good in your life beginning with its smallest pieces. Here: let me give you a few examples.

You can breathe in and out. Now that may seem silly, but imagine the alternative! Aliveness is so wonderful all by itself. Life is such a blessing.

You can see. You can see the beauty in nature, the thrill of a powerful rainstorm, the sweetness of a newborn child, your bi-monthly paycheck, the gasoline going into your car. You can watch the sun come up and then set in the evening. How lucky you are.

You can hear. When you awaken, you can hear the birds welcoming in the new day. You can hear cars drive by on their way to work. You can hear the sweet sounds of your family awakening. You can hear the running water in the shower. You can hear the harmony of orchestral music. You can hear commentators on the radio. Such a wealth.

You can feel. You can feel the crispness of clean sheets on your bed. You can feel the sun warming your skin and scalp. You can feel the breeze blowing your hair back off your face. You can feel your child’s soft hand holding yours. You can feel your breakfast digesting in your belly. You can feel someone looking at you in a crowd. You can feel who’s calling you when the phone rings. Feeling is such a valuable sense.

You can taste. Oh my, such a wealth of flavors: the saltiness of doogh, the sweetness of candy, the bite of hot salsa, the tanginess of lemon cookies. And the rain – have you ever just stood there and tasted the rain? Oh my, what a thrill. You can taste the flavor of your lover’s kiss and the sweetness of your baby’s. You’ve got a lot of good going for you in your life.

You have enough. You have somewhere to sleep, clothing to wear, food to eat; friends who care about you, a job to perform, a spouse who loves you, a sun to light the day, and a moon to light the night. You have fresh air to breathe, movies to watch, music to listen to. And if all this isn’t enough for you, you have the ability to create more.

You can exercise choices. You get to choose whether or not you’ll get out of bed. You get to choose what you’ll have to eat today, and what clothes you’ll wear. You get to choose what radio station you’ll listen to and enjoy. You get to choose who your friends will be and which one will be designated “Best.” When something in your life becomes no longer preferable, you can choose with what you will replace it. You can choose what kind of car you will drive, who you will marry, how many children you will have. You have millions of choices to make across the years of your life.

You learn from your mistakes. You can see clearly that “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me” and no one else. You recognize that life’s problems are blessings in disguise, and that when you change your focus from blaming another and assume responsibility yourself; you begin to learn from your problems and begin to make choices and carve out new ways of being for yourself. You have survived all your problems.

Today, your life is safe. You may have made it through war as I did. You don’t have to fear being bombed today, or shot at, or arrested. You carry along with you confidence and esteem and they make you feel safe. Your environment is stable. Your drive to and from work is safe. Your house is safe. Your friends are safe. You live by your values, your boundaries, and your sense of self. Imagine not having this wealth?

Your dreams carry you beyond today. You realize that no matter how far you’ve come, how much you’ve accomplished, and how much you have to enjoy, there is always more. You aren’t grasping or greedy about getting more, but you are aware that it’s there if and when you want some. You allow your dreams to arise knowing you can make them manifest and come true, and you have the talent, the knowledge, the ambition and the will to have what you want.

You are healthy. You might not know this bit I’m about to share with you, but please consider this. You are healthy at your core. It is your nature to be healthy. How can you be sure? If you manifest sickness, the first instinct is to return to health, because health is your norm. It’s always in there waiting for you to return.

There’s a great deal more to add to your “My Life is Good” list. Oh, here’s another one: you can read this. You’ve got a lot more going for you than lots of other folks, so be grateful.