Guest Blogger: Sally Hurlston | www.twitter.com/sallyhurlston
There are many things I dream of owning in life – a Bentley, Michael Kors entire Spring Collection, a holiday home in Miami, an never ending supply of Louboutins, my own personal Glam team to make me look perfect at the wave of a mascara wand, a chef, a jet… okay maybe I should stop now (okay just one more) my own Personal Assistant, to name but a few. But all of these things are material objects and therefore immaterial to my happiness. I know plenty of people with more than me but I still don’t know a single soul with a perfect life.
What are you grateful for? The happiest memories I have all involve people and places. Not objects. Watching my twins on their first holiday wearing arm bands and floats bobbing up and down on the sea, beaming from ear to ear in the hot sun is forever etched in my brain as one of my happiest memories ever. This memory is up there with all of the achievements I have ever had-getting the job, passing the driving test, as well as the more sublime – dancing to a great song, the funniest laughs I have ever shared with friends-all of these beautiful moments that have given me happiness and joy and they all begin with people. They cannot be bought. Don’t get me wrong, it sure is great to own nice things and I am the first person to check my lottery numbers the morning after a draw, but I know that when I take my last breath on this earth, it’s the happy memories I want to take with me.
Some of the most ancient practices of the world involve the art of gratitude – actively saying ‘thank you’ to the universe, your God or whoever you or whatever you believe brought these moments to you. In practicing the art of gratefulness you will attract more of the same into your life. Subconsciously, you will bring about these moments and people again because you will want to keep them exactly as they are. Don’t get me wrong, I am not naive enough to believe that saying thank you will stop all pain and suffering in the world. The sad fact is it won’t and every body’s lives will have their moments of struggle and pain, but the appreciation of the great things we all experience can help to shield you through the harder times when you need a reminder of what you do have.
If you’re not sure where to start, you can take the #100 Happy Days Challenge. For 100 days you must be thankful for some form of happiness that has occurred on that day-from a promotion to a Birthday celebration, a nice cup of tea when you needed it, to a kind word someone threw your way. Take a photo of the moment and upload it to Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #100HappyDays. If nothing else, it will serve as a reminder to you of all the little things we take for granted that actually make our lives so much more enriched.
Live simply, dream big, laugh lots, give love and most importantly be grateful.
