Have a Grateful Day!

“Have a nice day!” How often do we say or hear it? On the surface it seems like a well-intentioned if fairly innocuous sentiment. But what are we really saying?

One of the greatest powers we have as human beings is our ability to focus our attention. But most of the time we do it unconsciously, based on old habits of thought that interpret what’s important for us to attend to and what we can safely ignore.

We can say “have a nice day” to someone, for example, without paying much attention to the deeper implications of what we’re saying or to whom we’re saying it. It’s a social convenience, a placeholder that saves us the time and effort of connecting in a more thoughtful or intentional way with someone that we don’t really know and may never see again.

But what actually allows us to have a nice (easy, productive, satisfying, carefree, etc.) day? For myself, it has everything to do with my mindset and what I’m paying attention to. Am I focusing on concerns that stress me out, many of which I have little or no control over? Or am I gravitating instead to things that bring me gratitude and joy?

I’m reminded of this today thanks to the good folks at A Network for Grateful Living. They produced this short video called ”A Grateful Day” with the words of Brother David Steindl-Rast, who reminds us how much there is to appreciate in our everyday human existence. It’s a quick and powerful way to refocus your attention on what’s really worth attending to.

Do yourself a favor and watch it. And have a grateful day.