I wish I could remember which book it was.  It was one of those New Age self-help books…how to live a happier life sort of thing.  I read quite a lot of those.  And have become a happier and better person for it, I believe.  The particular book I refer to had a little exercise in it.  I must have known that I’d forget the name of the book, because I decided to write a song based on the exercise so that I didn’t forget the exercise.

The exercise went as follows:  Start the day – before anything else – by making a quick mental list (or physical if you prefer) of things you have in your life that you are grateful for.  10 things.  At first it can be difficult.  But there’s…water?  Electricity? A roof over your head?  Maybe someone loves you?  Maybe you have a small skill or talent?  Go through them and feel grateful.  Say a little thank you.  If a negative thought comes in, try and let it go and go back to a positive that you can be grateful for.  Then go get your breakfast or whatever comes next.

The idea is that as we consciously practice gratitude we open up our minds to the positive things in life.  Then we see positivity in more things – things we took for granted.  Things we thought were negative.

It worked for me…so I wrote this song to remind myself to keep doing it.

 

 

I would wake up in the morning
rush out of my sleep
drag a comb across my head
as I stumble to the street
morning coffee down my shirt
and sleep around my eyes
as the rain pounds down around me
into the world of fear and lies

a change of thought can shape your destiny
make a little list of things your glad you’ve got
water, food, shelter what you have not what you’ve not

count your blessings, and when you get to ten
start all over
start counting once again
And when you notice blessings that you never knew you had
Oh-oh-oh-oh count your blessings

So the silence of another night
is shattered by the dawn
but instead of pressing snooze
I now start every morn
with a tally of my blessings
what I am grateful for
count ten things that I love
and each day there appear more

a change of thought can shape your destiny
make a little list of things your glad you’ve got
the seas the breeze the trees – the birds and the bees
what you have not what you’ve not