Why Give Thanks?

Dear Why Team Member,

I hope this weeks message finds you well and looking forward to 
​Thanksgiving:

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​Nothing fuels more a life of abundance, for ourselves and for others, than being aware of our own abundance - and I hope you were able to become even more aware by incorporating some of the turn-key strategies we’ve been reviewing in the past few months. Someone once said to me, you know you can live a happy life even if you’re materially poor. Having an abundance of material things can sometimes make us forget about the spiritual abundance we possess. We are all rich beyond belief, so if we are not feeling rich, we need only to take a moment, self-reflect, and go beyond our current belief. Any thought that we lack is especially a thought to question. Ben Stein said there is only one get-rich-quick scheme: Gratitude!

Recently, I have been particularly grateful for the journey of my life. All of its ups and downs and for the changes that never end yet have always brought new beginnings and opportunities. Even being grateful for a broken heart. 

I take Poet David Whyte’s saying to heart- pun intended: “a heart being broken is your identity being enlarged.” When we resist the changes that are given to us, we can increase and/or prolong our suffering. Seeing and finding the gifts in all things can, at times, take tremendous effort, but with patience and with age and with a desire to find the richness beyond the painful beliefs, the treasure is all the more appreciated. 

Because of the name of the approaching holiday: Thanksgiving, many of us are more inclined to give thanks and remember to be grateful.
Reflect on the story of your life thus far; how boring it would be without twists and turns. The Hero’s journey must have its dragons to slay and its valleys in which to persevere. 
Are you thankful for all of it? 
Look at you and what you have accomplished. Consider how you have cared for yourself through storm after storm. Gratitude for the light is best accomplished after time spent in the dark. It truly is "All Good," we need only the eyes to see and the heart to feel. 

Take David Whyte’s advice and "Don't run away from your vulnerability - it is a robust form of incarnation rather than a weakness." Becoming more via hardship; an attitude like this can not only fuel more gratitude for the past, but also a courageous embracing of what the unknown future has in store for you. 

I hope you enjoy this Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season with a heart so full of gratitude that it positively impacts all the ones around you and spills over into your exciting new year.

To you and yours -
Happy Thanksgiving!

Steve Luckenbach